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DRAGON ■ DROW AUGUST 2002

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SECRETS AND

Vile rituals!

s DEATH
MAGIC

£ NECROMANCERS

A CLASSIC RETURNS

A LIVING GpEYHAWK

ISSUE 298

CHAINMAIL BLOWOUT

A powerful new draw fac¬
tion invades your campaign.

EXPERT RULES

Sage Advice tackles difficult
rules questions.

BE A BETTER DM

Run a perfect session without
preparation.

DR&gpn

Group Publisher

Johnny Wilson

Editor-in-Chief

Jesse Decker

Art Director

Lisa Chido

Associate Editor

Matthew Sernett

Assistant Editor

Stacie Fiorito

Living Greyhawk Editor

Erik Mona

Circulation Director

Pierce Watters

Production Director

John Dunn

Production Designer

Theresa Cummins

Ad Traffic Coordinator

Dawnelle Miesner

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Peter Bergting, Phil Foglio, John Kovalic,
Mike May, Tony Moseley Marc Sasso,
Anthony Waters, Jonathan Wayshak,
Aaron Williams, Sam Wood
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS
Jim Bishop, Eric Cagle, Johnn Four
Clifford Horowitz, Robin D. Laws,
Wade Nudson, Chris Pramas,
Fredrick Wiening, Skip Williams

Dragon (ISSN# 1062-2101) is published monthly by
Wizards of the Coast, Inc., 1801 Lind Ave. SW, Renton,
WA 98055, United States of America. Periodicals
Postage Paid at Renton, WA, and at additional mailing
offices. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES
TO Dragon, P.O. BOX 469107, ESCONDIDO, CA 92046.
©2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced (except
for review purposes) without the prior written permission
of the publisher. Material published herein does not
necessarily reflect the opinions of Wizards of the Coast,
Inc., its employees, or its editorial staff, who are not liable
for opinions expressed herein. Most product names are
trademarks owned by the companies that publish those
products. Use of the name of any product without
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Masque of the Red Death; Monstrous Compendium;

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Dungeon; Polyhedron; Living City; Living Greyhawk; d20
Modern; Gen Con; RPGA are trademarks of Wizards of
the Coast, Inc.

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Printed in the U.S.A.

ON THE COVER

Marc Sasso proves that D&tD is all
about leather-clad drow jumping off of
an exploding bridge. The full-page
reproduction of the cover is on page 24.

6 august 2oo2

DRAGON CONTENTS

Issue 298 • August 2002 Vol. XXVII • Number 3

GAME ROOM

10 Scalemail

Drow become demon elves
and our readers duke it out.

16 At the Table

The secrets of the spider-
themed Cave of Pain.

20 Paizo, Paizo, Paizo

Dragon’s new publisher shows
how things haven't changed.

FEATURES

24 Flesh for Lolth

The secret life of the dark elves:
Torture , evil [ and culling the weak
shape the lives of the drow.

34 Bestiary: Punishments of Lolth

In the bowels of the Underdark,
there is one certainty: Lolth
punishes.

44 Sinister Tools

Wicked weapons, deadly poisons,
and other gruesome devices from
the cities of the Underdark.

52 The Ashen Compact

An alliance of evil turns good
adventurers into living weapons
trained to destroy the drow.

62 Shades of Death

Necromancers of any alignment
plus two new necromancer class
combos: the pale commander and
the savage shaman.

WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

88 Chainmail

The Kilsek drow invade D&tD.

94 DM’s Toolbox

Prepare to improvise.

98 The Play’s the Thing

Spot DDtD’s common problems.

100 Nodwick

102 Silicon Sorcery

Battlerealms prestige classes.

106 Dork Tower

108 Sage Advice

Master more rules of the wild.

113 Advertiser Index

114 What’s New

READERS
TALK BACK

SCALEMAIL

W Demon Elves?

[jy “What do you mean, ‘demon elf?’ aren’t
we fighting drow?” So the session began.
Our group, exploring the fringes of the
ancient city Chael-Rekshaar after the suc¬
cessful retrieval of one of the ancient tum¬
bles of Te-Altus, had finally managed to

^ track the spider creatures we knew to be
in the area.

Once in the small cavern complex, we
met the first of a series of ambushes, and
each time we were attacked, it became
more and more apparent that the crea¬
tures we were fighting were some horrible
blend of elf, demon, and spider.

We were in the Underdark, mind you,
so I had expected drow. The standard, ECL
+2, cast-c/ay//^/jr-before-you-start-beating-
on-them drow. What the other players and
I found was a lot more complex than that
and a more integral part of the campaign.

It might not seem like much of a varia¬
tion to go from dark-skinned drow to pale¬
skinned, spider-eyed demon elves, but our
DM, game designer Andy Collins, wanted
the race of Underdark-dwelling elves in his
campaign to stand apart from drow yet
blended seemlessly with the history of the
campaign world. As we played through the
adventure, seeing more and more mon¬
strous spiders, choldriths, fiendish spiders,
elves with grafted spider legs, elves with
spider eyes, shape-shifting elves quick to
turn into spiders, and others, it never felt
like we were fighting drow. These waves
of attackers were, in game terms, identical
to drow, with templates applied when
appropriate. Fiendish elves, were-spiders,
and fiendish were-spiders who worship an
ancient demoness named Lolth sound a lot
like drow, but by presenting them in a dif¬
ferent way, they found a place in the game
world that drow never could.

Drow aren’t the only element of D&tD
that begs for creative uses in different
campaigns. Our For Your Campaign and
For Your Character sidebars in recent
issues show how some ideas can be
adapted, but they’re at best the tip of the
iceberg. Join in the discussion of how the
ideas from Dragon and Dungeon can fit
your game on the message boards at
www.wizards.com.

Standing Alone?

Simply put, Issue #296 kicked arse!
Starting with the wonderful cover art of
Sam Woods dragon slayer, I knew I was
in for a treat. The four prestige classes
presented in “Dragon Hunters” were
very cool and can easily be adapted to
fit into any game. “Worshipers of the
Forbidden” was very interesting and
creepy. The picture of the screaming
face at the top of the article really set
the tone for it. Such a dark image of
insanity and danger . . .

The real reason I’m writing, however,
is Thomas Harlans story, “The Tomb.” I
enjoyed the story of Harold Godwinson
and his journey in the Holy Land during
the Crusades. I think it’s a wonderful
idea and presented very well. I like the
conflict of religion and nationalism pre¬
sented in his stories. Is “The Tomb” part
of a book series? If so, I’d be very inter¬
ested in getting the books.

Ben Dowell

Mattoon, IL

Thomas Harlans historical fantasy sto¬
ries from issue #2g6 and # 284 share
the same world as his novel series, but
not the same characters. If you like the
short stories, you re sure to enjoy the
novels as well.

Short Sighted

When I read the initial flavor text for the
vengeance sworn prestige class (in
Dragon #296), the dragon hunters who
had lost a loved one or even their own
lives to dragons, I was impressed: “Born
from the aftermath of dragon-wrought
tragedy, death, and destruction, the
vengeance sworn focus their hatred of
dragons and their desire for revenge
into a divinely sealed oath that drives
them beyond the limits of mortal
endurance.” However, the flavor text
also notes that rogues, monks, wizards,
sorcerers, and other arcane spellcasters
rarely become vengeance sworn, and
the requirements all but assure that they
don’t. I don’t understand why a wizard
whose family was slain by a dragon
would be any less vengeful than a bar¬

barian or ranger whose family was slain
by a dragon. In this case, the mechanics
of the class run counter to the roleplay¬
ing elements inherent in the class.

To qualify to become a vengeance
sworn, a character must have lost a
loved one to a dragon or been killed by
a dragon. That’s great! Such a require¬
ment makes sense. However, the other
requirements are onerous and illogical.
True, if one plans to be a vengeance
sworn, the path is simple: Assign a 13 to
Intelligence, take one barbarian level, six
ranger levels, buy the appropriate skills,
take the appropriate feats, and make
sure to get killed by a dragon (or make
sure that Uncle Ben is killed by a
dragon). How many people, however,
plan to be vengeance sworn? Why must
vengeance sworn have Expertise, the
only fighting feat not usable in a rage?
The Expertise requirement also forces
the vengeance sworn to be smart
(Int 13). Since when do revenge and a
pact with a deity require brains? The
Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting
requirements force a vengeance sworn
without a ranger level to have a
Dexterity of 1 5. Why are Dexterity and
Two-Weapon Fighting so important? If a
ranger ability had to be chosen, why not
favored enemy: dragons? That require¬
ment makes roleplaying sense, at least.
Even the base attack bonus requirement
of +6 is a bit high. It makes sense if the
vengeance sworn are pure warriors, but
many who would swear vengeance
against dragons have other strengths.

What is most galling about the design
of the vengeance sworn is that nothing
about the concept calls out strictly to
barbarian/ranger/druids more than
fighters, wizards, rogues, or any other
class. Compared to another memorable
vengeance-based prestige class, such as
the fiend slayer from Dragon #287, the
vengeance sworn comes up short.

Phill Calle
Tamarac, FL

The vengeance sworn prestige class isn’t
positing that only particular classes can
feel vengeful toward dragons, as your

To inquire about subscriptions, email dragon@pcspublink.com or call i (800) 395-7760. In Europe, email subscriptions@tnsofres.com To contact Dragon about editorial concerns, email
scalemail@wizards.com. Letters reproduced in the magazine may be edited for clarity and length. All letters must include your full name and home city. Due to time constraints and the
volume of letters received, individual responses are not always possible.

lo august 2oo2

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[ SCALE MAIL ]

letter implies. However, like most pres¬
tige classes, this one was designed with a
particular character type in mind. In this
case, the prestige class is intended for
melee-minded characters who also have
the ability to cast divine spells. The
description of the vengeance sworn
makes it dear that these characters are
relentless, driven, battle-hardened, and
comfortable in harsh environments. The
barbarian, ranger, fighter, and druid
classes fit these aspects to some point,
and certainly even more so when com¬
bined into a multiclass character.

Remember that your DM has the final
say on any game aspect. If you’d like to
change the focus of the vengeance
sworn or some of the requirements, ask
your DM.

The Legacy Lives On

I’m writing in response to the deluge of
art-related complaints you seem to
receive each month, particularly in
regards to the cover art from the April
issue (#294). I can’t understand how any
male who is secure in his masculinity
could be put off by the artwork on the
April cover. Sure, it depicts a scantily
clad male with incredibly buff features,
but hasn’t anyone out there ever
watched movies like Conan the
Barbarian ? Barely clothed, hulking males
are as much a part of the genre’s legacy
as gorgeous women in skimpy chainmail
bikinis. Besides, it’s just cover art; buying
the issue in no way suggests anything
about your masculinity.

Personally, I have loved the cover art
(and interior art) of each issue of
Dragon, which I have purchased since
the new edition came out. It is vibrant,
alive, and a welcome change from the
old, “medieval” style, which, though
time-honored and proven, can get a little
stale after twenty-odd years. Keep up
the fantastic work, folks!

Tristan Kasper

Rochester, NY

Take a Growth Pill

I’ve been a reader of Dragon Magazine
for almost twenty years, and until now,
I’ve never written in to express my
opinion. This time I had to. I just picked
up the June issue of Dragon (#296) and
started skimming through it. I only made
it to page twelve before I was so
appalled by the content of “Scale Mail”

that I had to respond. The extreme
immaturity evident in some of the letters
was very disturbing to me, especially
because they relate to a game that I
always thought appealed to a better
class of person than that.

One particular letter relates an over¬
heard conversation wherein a male
gamer couldn’t buy the April issue
because it has a bare-chested man on
the cover. I actually had to go back and
dig out my copy of that issue to take a
second look at this supposedly awful dis¬
play, because I couldn’t remember notic¬
ing a problem with it. When I looked
again I saw why I couldn’t remember
anything. There was no problem. I
thought it was a fine piece of artwork.
Better than some covers, not as good as
a few others I’ve seen. I can’t under¬
stand why anyone would have a problem
with this cover. I find it sad that some
people could be so insecure that they
would not buy a magazine over such an
inoffensive piece of art. I hope no one
ever makes them read a Conan the
Barbarian comic-they might be trauma¬
tized for life.

I also found the tone of that letter dis¬
turbing. The idea that this cover was
somehow retribution on male gamers for
the scantily clad women portrayed in the
industry over the years was petty. So
we get to see what it feels like for the
females? I’m a male gamer, and I wasn’t
bothered in the least by that cover, so
why are they bothered by others?

Another letter in “Scale Mail” asks
that only female flesh be shown on the
covers out of respect for the tender
sensibilities of the male majority. I’m not
even sure how to address this one. The
only response I can think of is: Grow up!

What it all comes down to, or should
come down to, is that art is art. If it’s
done well, looks good, and isn’t porno¬
graphic, then it shouldn’t be a problem.

Calvin Camp
New Berlin, NY

We could go on and on with gobs of let¬
ters we received in support of the cov¬
ers from issues #zg3 and #2g6, but we
think you get the idea.

Seeking Fiction?

I have a question regarding the fiction
you include in your magazine. Is it possi¬
ble to send you some of my stories?

12 august 2oo2

[ SCALE MAIL ]

KNIGHTS ND PALADINS!

Campaign Components: Knights

by John Tresca

This issue of Dragon presents the first of a
new concept for articles about DStD. New
campaign settings are great, but often it’s
hard to adapt that material for a game already
in progress. “Campaign Components” articles
take the best parts of a campaign idea and
give you the tools you need to add a specific
theme to your home campaign or use them to
build a new world.

The first installment? Knights!

Jousting tournaments, knightly orders,
honor, chivalry, quests, crusades, and courtly
intrigue: It’s all explained and presented so
you can lift it or leave it. Play a gnome
peasant, a dwarven squire, a halfling knight,
or a half-ore king. Inside, you’ll also find new
uses for skills, d2o jousting and tournament
rules, magic items, and adventure seeds so
you can add knights to any game.

Think it’s not D&tD without mind flayers
and mages? Don’t worry: We’ll show you how
to bring chivalry to the dungeons and dragons
to the tilting grounds.

ARCANE LORE: Sacred Spells

by Amber E. Scott

Pump up your paladins with new spells of

truly righteous might.

CLASS ACTS:

Oath and Order

by Bruce R. Cordell

Two deadly monk prestige classes show the
power of an ordered mind.

BAZAAR OF THE BIZARRE:

The Wizard’s Toy Box

by Christopher Coyle

See what terror and joy the toys of wizards

can bring.

THE PLAY’S THE THING:

Feats of Personality

by Eric Cagle

Does having the Run feat make you a
coward? See how your feats can affect
your personality.

Inside you’ll also find new fiction, “DM’s
Toolbox,” “Silicon Sorcery: Warcraft III”
“Guild Secrets,” “Living Greyhawk,” and
more advice, tools, and tactics to improve
your game!

Heitor Lisboa Altemani
Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil

While we used to accept fiction submis¬
sions from our readers and other unso¬
licited writers, we have recently
changed our policy. Due to time con¬
straints, the enormous volume of stories
received, and our small staff, we are
now only accepting fiction submissions
from solicted authors. We know that this
is bound to disappoint the small portion
of our readership who saw the magazine
as their gateway to publishing fiction, but
were a gateway into the gaming indus¬
try, and we want fans to focus solely on
contributing game-related articles now.

We are making the finishing touches
to the new submission guidelines. You’ll
find the guidelines on the new website
www.paizopublishing.com very soon.

A New Model?

I am writing to ask that you bring back
the “Role Models” column. I greatly
enjoy this column, and I believe that its
job is not yet finished. One direction to
consider is scenery, structures, and
other terrain. Zvezda of Russia and
Dorn us of Spain both make kits for

medieval structures that are roughly the
right scale for the D&tD miniatures. The
“Role Models” column could also explore
scratchbuilding, like the superb articles in
Star Wars ™ Gamer. [Ed: scratchbuilding
is the building of terrain models using
scrap and common household items.]

Brian Willard
Redding, CA

“Role Models” was a great column, but
ultimately the Web seemed a better place
for Mike May’s great instruction
because new readers could then find
step-by-step instructions in one easily
cataloged place. You can find Mike’s
instructions in his “Paint Like a Pro”
series on www.wizards.com/dnd.

Mistaken Identity
The letter entitled, “No Mindreading” in
issue #296 was incorrectly credited to
James Gadbois of Portland, Maine. The
correct author is Campbell Rhodes, of
Richardson, Canberra, Australia.
Apparently, we should have titled the
letter, “We Are Mindless,” for the obvi¬
ous brain fart. Our apologies to the
“Rev” Gadbois and Mr. Rhodes. ®

WINNER

RUNNER-UP

“Hey look, I’m part monk!”

“Hey! You can’t do that in 3rd Edition!”

Jim Mathews • San Jose, CA

Congratulations Dan Kendall!

Honorable Mention

Colgate, Wl

“Jeepers, I’m in for it now! Dad said, ‘no

tatoos or piercings!”’

Paul Mohler • Overbrook, KS

To inquire about subscriptions, email dragon@pcspublink.com or call 1 (800) 395-7760. In Europe, email subscriptions@tnsofres.com To contact Dragon about editorial concerns, email
scalemail@wizards.com. Letters reproduced in the magazine may be edited for clarity and length. All letters must include your full name and home city. Due to time constraints and the
volume of letters received, individual responses are not always possible.

14 august 2oo2

AUGUST

i;uiii RuNitiuiiK

criTofii^

SpmOVUUEEN

THE LIONESS

A Dragonlance novel by
Nancy Varian Berberick

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THE LIVING DEAD

A D&D novel by
T. H. Lain

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MONSTER
MANUAL II

A Dungeons & Dragons
accessory by Jeff
Grubb, Rich Redman,
Steve Winter, and Ed
Bonny

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CITY OF THE
SPIDER QUEEN

A Forgotten Realms
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James Wyatt

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CITY OF THE
SPIDER QUEEN
MINIATURES BOX

A Dungeons & Dragons
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CHAINMAIL CORE
RULEBOOK

A Chainmail Core
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HAND OF FIRE

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MASTERS OF

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ART

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THE DAY OF
TEMPEST

A Dragonlance novel
by Jean Rabe

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[ AT THE TABLE ]

THE CAVE OF PAIN

BATTLEMAT

AND CHAINMAIL COLLECTOR’S POSTER

This months free poster has two very
different applications, side one is obvi¬
ously a collectors checklist for the
Chainmail miniatures, and the other side
is a battlemat suitable for either D&tD
or Chainmail battles. The dots on the
map deliniate the 1" squares necessary
to play D&tD, but they are not as
obtrusive as a standard grid, allowing
Chainmail players a great battlefield.

D&tD Gameplay Notes

The following notes help you run D&tD
combats in the Cave of Pain. In all
cases feel free to use or ignore what¬
ever you’d like. The cavern and its spi¬
der theme are ripe for adventure and
encounter ideas, so give your imagina¬
tion free reign. Here are a few ideas:

A: The spider on the floor emits a
faint but potent magical aura that
makes wounds more dangerous than
normal. Any wound dealt by a slashing
weapon continues to deal one point of
damage per round, as if dealt by a
weapon with the wounding property.

B: The webs between the pillars can
simply represent cobwebs, or they
could be more significant obstacles,
perhaps they are fireproof, spun by

fiendish spiders, or perhaps they hide
wires that set off traps (Search DC 25).

Chainmail Gameplay Notes

The Cave of Pain is a scenario in the
set 4 guidebook, Shadow of the Drow.
Every time a model suffers damage in
the cave, it takes an additional point of
automatic damage. You can use this
cavern as the Cave of Pain or use it
for other underground scenarios. The
locations for Blood Harvest’s divine
sparks are marked on the cavern floor.

A: Ordinarily, the spider glyph at the
center of the cavern has no effect on
play, and terrain can even be placed on
it if you are putting more terrain into
the cave. But if you wish, you could let
the spider glyph function like some spe¬
cial terrain piece, having the same
effect as a sacred circle or murder tile,
for example.

B: Before each battle, decide whether
you want to ignore the web strands in
the cavern or treat them like small
pieces of Web terrain as described in
Shadow of the Drow.

Note that there are spaces that mod¬
els with 40mm bases will only be able
to pass through by squeezing. *3

16 august 2oo2

SPIRAL OF
MANZESSINE

[ AT THE TABLE ]

Noonan
A prison riot
never bodes well
for visitors. When
that prison is in
the Underdark and
run by mind
flayers, you know 1
the brains are about to hit the fan. A D&tD
adventure for nth-level PCs but scalable for
levels 9-15.

BLOODLINES

by Luke Johnson

An ambitious count looks to establish a link
between his family and the ruling house. But
at what cost to himself or the realm? A
D&tD adventure for 7th-level characters but
scalable for levels 4-10.

THE LAST HUNT

by James Wilber

An aging nobleman is determined to go on
one last adventure. Will his final hunting trip
be his final hunting trip? A D&tD adventure
for 4th-level characters but scalable for
levels 2-6.

WORMS IN THE EXCHEQUERY

by Frank Brunner
When a bank heist doesn’t pan out as
expected, a group of dangerous criminals
takes everyone inside hostage. Can the PCs
negotiate with the villains, or will more
physical measures need to be pursued? A
D&tD adventure for igth-level characters,
but scalable for levels 11-19.

OMEGA
WORLD

It’s been several
years since the
Bomb. Living among a tribe of
mutants and sentient animals is fun, and all,
but it’s time to move out and explore those
radioactive ruins over yonder. So grab
your baseball bat and truck-tire armor-it’s
time to unlock the secrets of the Ancients.
If you manage to survive battles against
androids and two-headed psychic badgers,
you might just win fabulous treasure. Or
you might find a toaster. In an irradiated
dark future, toasters and treasure might
very well turn out to be one in the same.

Omega World is the d20 version of
TSR’s classic Gamma World game. Designed
by Players Handbook impresario Jonathan
Tweet, the game includes scores of
mutations and defects, a new free-form
experience system suitable for D&tD,
weapons, technology, and loads of
dangerous intelligent animals.

WHEN PAIZO SAYS,

“I PLAY,”

YOU WIN!

Dragon #298 is the first issue
released under the rubric of Paizo
Publishing, LLC. The company’s name
means, “I play!” in Greek. We hope it will
always suggest that you win. The new
company’s focus will be on entertain¬
ment that engages the mind and pulls
you into fascinating and rich universes.
So, you’re likely to see a wide variety of
magazines come out of our company
over the coming years. Before you
panic about inevitable changes, however,
let me reassure you: You’ll still see the
familiar (and in my case “old”) faces in
these pages because we brought the
entire periodicals department of Wizards
of the Coast into our new publishing
venture. We’re very excited about this
because it means that those of us who
produce the magazines now control our
own destiny. Hasbro and Wizards of the
Coast are very excited about this ven¬
ture, as well. They love the way Dragon
and Dungeon magazines have matured,
and they wanted to reward us for our
good work by letting us own our own
business. They know we’ll do an even
better job on the magazines as we grow
the business and cover other types of
games and entertainment that are not
part of the Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast
empire. We are proud of the fact that
Lucasfilm, Ltd. has also placed its impri¬
matur upon our new company, and we’ll
be producing Star l4&rs™ Insider ; as
well. For most of you, the name and
ownership change won’t mean anything.
Dragon will continue to be “All Dungeons
&t Dragons all the time,” the same staff
will be working on the magazines, the
same printer will be printing them, sub¬
scriptions will be sent to the same Post
Office box, and the same great writers
and artists will still grace the pages. You
should continue to find the publications
at the same stores (maybe even more!)
where you bought them before, and you
should continue to get your subscrip¬
tions on the same schedule. We’ll still be

working closely with the talented design¬
ers and writers who create the games
and game supplements at Wizards of the
Coast, and we’ll still strive to provide the
most consistent information available on
your favorite games.

So, what’s the point of changing com¬
panies? Frankly, neither Hasbro nor
Wizards of the Coast wants to be a
magazine publisher. Both companies
were built on publishing quality games
and toys. That doesn’t mean the compa¬
nies don’t see the value of the maga¬
zines. Both Hasbro in recent years and
Wizards of the Coast in prior years
invested considerable amounts in build¬
ing up the magazines to their current
positions of strength, but the magazines
primarily existed to support Hasbro and
Wizards of the Coast product lines. As
creative staff, we are gamers interested
in a wide variety of games: card games,
miniatures, roleplaying games, board
games, electronic games, and online
games. We want to produce magazine
titles that reflect all kinds of gaming, and
we couldn’t ask Hasbro to invest in
those new titles. We can, however,
invest in our own business as the future
unfolds. In short, you have a creative
staff with more freedom than ever
before. We’ve always loved covering our
own products, and we’ll continue to do
so with our current magazine titles, but
we look forward to covering the whole
gamut of gaming with new magazines in
the future. In other words, with Dragon
under the auspices of Paizo Publishing,
LLC, we all play and we all win! ®

Johnny L. Wilson, President
Paizo Publishing, LLC

2o august 2oo2

FLESH FOR

THE SECRET LIFE OF

DAFtKELVES

by Robin D. Laws • illustrated by Marc Sasso

0 Flesh Carver , who wove the world;

Who made us from the darkest day,

Spinning in it a red web of vein and artery,

We feel thy hunger.

0 Lo/th, humbly today we feed thee.

We feed you this flesh, this quivering meat.
With a blade like your jaws,

We divide musde from bone.

Eat of this, the meal we consecrate to thee,
And do not this day devour us.

-adjuration from the Crimson
Liturgy of Lolth

Through ancient stone corridors, wet and
slick with moss, the drow gentry pro¬
ceed. Screams and whimpers emanate
from the amphitheater ahead. The cries
prompt throaty laughter from a lithe, pitch¬
skinned priestess, her glistening body cov¬
ered with dozens of gray-furred spiders that
crawl across it, each the size of a baby’s fist.
The priestess’s hair, white as an ice field, lays
close to her narrow, oblong skull. Studs of
polished silver protrude from her brow,
cheekbone, and jawline.

Her gnome servant teeters from side to
side, bent from the weight of the gilded chest
she bears, laden with greenwine and sweet¬
meats. The servant’s hands have been
removed at the wrist; her eye sockets are
scorched and empty. She cannot stop herself
from shuddering.

Abruptly, a red-lipped jester capers up
from behind, displaying steel hooks that jut

up through his shoulder blades. He seeks a
new victim, someone to run his chains of
precious metal through. The priestess
reaches out to rake the clown with razor-
honed nails, casually opening troughs of
crimson in the flesh of his back. The jester
shimmies and wriggles his tongue out along
his rouge-caked lips.

A hiss of anticipation arises in the crowd.
Tonight the blood will flow like wine, and if
they are lucky, the spider goddess herself will
appear and tear off someone’s head.

Evil Beneath Your Feet

Many good people of the surface world fear
the drow, even though few have ever beheld
one. They’ve heard legends of the night¬
skinned elves and of their cruel and hungry
goddess, Lolth the Spider Queen. Some say
that these tales, which attribute every imagi¬
nable depravity to the dark elves, cannot
possibly be true. Although there is evil in the
world, the idealists say, the accounts of
adventurers who come back from the
Underdark must be exaggerated. No society,
not even a completely evil one, could
possibly continue if its people were as per¬
verse and unpredictably brutal as their ene¬
mies claim.

So much for the prattling of sages! Go to
any tavern frequented by explorers and
treasure seekers, and they will educate you:

If anything, the stories fail to capture the
true horror of the dark elven world.

FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN

If your campaign doesn’t include
drow, or if drow don’t play a
prevalent role in your campaign,
you can still use many elements
of this article. Below are some
suggestions to help spark your
imagination.

• All elves are evil. There is
only one subrace of elves (those
described in this article), and
they dwell on the surface instead
of underground.

• Every few generations or
so, a dark elf child is born into
an elven community. These
anomalies are seen as portents
and usually signal a change in a
major power structure or in the
environment and ecosystem.
These dark-skinned children
posses strange powers and abili¬
ties (see the drow description in
the Monster Manual), and they
are gifted (or plagued depending
on one’s opinion) with visions of
the future. Although they are
given a special role in their com¬
munity and treated with a high
level of respect, they are often
shunned in their childhood by
other youngsters and forced to
become self-sufficient.

• The drow are outsiders
from another realm. Having
exhausted their own world of
humanoids to enslave and sacri¬
fice to their hungry god, they’ve
begun invading other realms in
search of prey.

• As the result of a major
environmental catastrophe, a
new race (the drow) has been
born on the planet’s surface,
perfectly suited to the planet’s
post-apocalyptic, hostile environ¬
ment in which only the strongest
and most clever survive. Never
having known peace, this new
race has no concept of good and
is multiplying at an alarming rate.

• There are no dark elves.
Instead, there is a cult of evil
surface elves who refer to them¬
selves as “drow” and worship a
spider god named Lolth. They
believe that by sacrificing thou¬
sands of humanoids, Lolth will
bless the dying elven race, and
they’ll once again reign supreme
over the other races.

FOR YOUR CHARACTER

Don’t play a drow? Don’t
worry! There are still a number
of ways you can use the infor¬
mation presented in this article.
For example, you can use it to
create an interesting back¬
ground and plot hook for your
character. Below are some
ideas that you can use as is, or
you might use them as a
springboard for creating other
interesting backgrounds for
your character.

• You killed my father; pre¬
pare to die. The drow mur¬
dered your entire family,
leaving you orphaned as a
child. Maybe you were cap¬
tured and tortured by drow,
but you managed to escape
their clutches. You’ve studied
their ways and learned their
weaknesses, and now you are
ready to fulfill your promise of
revenge. You won’t rest until
the world is rid of this abom¬
inable race.

• Luke, I am your father.

You’ve always looked a little
different from the other elves.
Your skin is a bit darker than
normal, your hair a little more
blonde, and your eyesight is a
little sharper in the darkness.
Your mother, who raised you
alone, is soon to leave the
world of the living, and she is
ready to tell you her terrible
secret: Your father is a drow!
Torn, you must decide whether
to seek out your father and
learn this new aspect of your
heritage or keep your mother’s
secret exactly that-a secret.

• Oh brother, wherefore art
thou? Your sibling has been
kidnapped by the drow for sac¬
rifice, and it is up to you to
rescue him before he becomes
food for their hungry goddess.
Having received training in
reconnaissance, your plan is to
infiltrate drow territory as a
merchant and then glean as
much information on the enemy
as possible before leading a
rescue attempt. Although your
mission is dangerous, you have
no choice-you are your sib¬
ling’s last hope.

“We Are All Lolth’s Meat”

Drow society survives as it does because a
powerful and capricious goddess wills it so.
Lolth-known as the Mother of Mandibles, the
Flesh Carver, and the Weaver of Webs-rules
drow existence. Through her terrible earthly
agents, the priestesses, she takes an interest in
each individual, from painful birth to wretched
death. From early childhood, all drow know
that they exist only to provide their goddess
with food and pleasure. Those who survive to
adulthood learn not to fear this eternal truth,
but to embrace it. They face any hazard with
steely resolve, knowing that no danger can be
remotely as terrifying as the face of Lolth. To
worship her is to blot out doubt and hesitation.
Her dark and beady eyes contain the only
truth: Life is but a fleeting dance between
predator and prey. Eventually, everyone is
torn apart and digested. Therefore, the only
way to grant meaning to existence is to
ensure that you make many kills before you
die and that you show your taste and style by
making your prey suffer exquisitely as they
expire. A drow who cannot find delight in
agony and destruction is no drow at all, fit
only for ritual slaughter. When courage
wavers, the true drow need only chant to her¬
self the central credo of her faith: “We are all
Lolth’s meat.”

Although all drow embrace death, each
individual naturally prefers to embrace the
death of others over her own. The desire to
avoid becoming Lolth’s next meal drives all
interactions in a dark elven community. Even
the mightiest priestesses must watch their
backs to ensure that ambitious young
acolytes don’t schedule them for the Flesh
Carver’s feeding chamber. For every hun¬
dred adults in a drow community, its priest¬
esses must make one sacrifice per week. The
priestesses satisfy the grinding demand for
new sacrifices in various ways. Vigorously
they seek blasphemers and lawbreakers to
consign to their blood altar. They solicit
informants, who report the infractions of
others to avoid becoming victims themselves.

Only on rare and glorious occasions can a
drow community justify the sacrifice of one of
its own adults. Its victims are most often slaves
or captives. Still, shortages of captives can
occur at any moment, and smart drow always
make sure they have at least one patroness
among the local priesthood. Each priestess sur¬
rounds herself with a network of toadies who
do her bidding. Normally, no priestess dares
sacrifice the favorites of a higher-ranking col¬
league. Although a wheedling and servile man¬
ner never harms one’s chances of success
with a priestess, a proud and dignified drow
can prove herself indispensable in other ways.

Renowned artists, skilled torturers, knowledge¬
able sages, and accomplished craftsmen can
ensure their survival by serving both the
priestesses and the community at large. Among
all their favorites, the priestesses covet
hunters the most. These hunters are drow
adventurers who rove the passageways of the
Underdark in search of intelligent captives to
enslave or sacrifice.

Lolth’s priestesses know what she best likes
to eat: Drow are better to sacrifice than
other races, adults are better than children.
She prefers healthy individuals to the sick or
feeble, and the more powerful and skilled a
character, the better. Among non-drow, the
Spider Queen vastly favors humanoids over
all other creature types and would rather
devour the good and lawful than the evil or
chaotic. Unintelligent beings (with an
Intelligence less than 3) are beneath her
interest, for they cannot understand their
suffering. To place a mere animal on her
altar is to risk being eaten yourself.

The priestesses determine if their sacrifices
lack sufficient quantity and quality to please
their goddess. When they must know for cer¬
tain, a commune spell provides the Great
Spider’s direct answer. Usually, though, expe¬
rienced priestesses can, by reading omens, tell
if Lolth is content with their gifts. One telltale
sign of the goddess’s displeasure is the suc¬
cess of one’s enemies. If, for example, a party
of adventurers penetrates the drow commu¬
nity’s defenses, it is clear that the Spider
Queen has withdrawn her favor. To win it
back, the priestesses must increase their regi¬
men of sacrifices-starting with the invaders.

Bloodied From the Birth-Sac

A notable difference between drow and their
topside cousins lies in their fertility rate. Most
elves have very low fertility rates, in keeping
with their long lifespans. Drow mothers, in
contrast, give birth as often as the more fer¬
tile races, such as humans and ores. Their
greater fertility reflects the crushing mortality
rate among drow infants and youngsters.

Drow females might give birth to ten times the
number of babies than the females from other
elven subraces do, but this does not mean that
they end up with more adult children.

It is common for pregnant drow to carry
twins or even triplets. Even in these cases,
multiple births are rare, as the strongest of
the fetuses feeds on its siblings in the womb.
Pregnant drow can sometimes feel these mor¬
tal combats take place in their bellies. Such
prenatal battles produce in their mothers a
euphoric sensation, referred to in the
Undercommon tongue as chad-zak. The feel¬
ing is infinitely stronger than that produced in

26 august 2oo2

the bedchamber or by any intoxicant.
Without it, it is doubtful that drow
women, selfish to the core, would
ever deign to suffer the inconven¬
iences of reproduction.

Chad-zak occurs up to four times
per multiple pregnancy. It usually hap¬
pens early in the third trimester.
Mothers who experience repeated
chad-zaks usually feel them in quick
succession, once every one or two
days. The final chad-zak indicates
one fetus’s successful slaying of its
rivals. This process does not result in

PRIESTESS WAR

A terrible logic arises from Lolth’s
taste in sacrifices. If she prefers
drow over non-drow, and high-level
characters over lowly ones, it stands
to reason that her favorite victims
are her own top priestesses. Thus,
the priestesses have devised a way to
avoid winding up on their own altars:
They band together. Most of the time,
a community’s priestesses maintain an
attitude of respectful, but mistrustful,
distance from one another. If one
priestess moves against another, the
rest tend to side against the aggres¬
sor. The annals of drow history
recount several famous incidents in
which rebellious priestesses lined up
allies against a High Priestess only to
be betrayed by their supposed allies.

A priestess must be extremely
unpopular before her fellows will
stand idly by for her sacrifice.

Open conflict within a priesthood is
not unknown, however. In almost all
such cases, a schism erupts between
two sides that are evenly matched
with one another. These fights are
prone to expand into outright civil
wars that engulf entire communities.
Each faction of priestesses uses its
favored lackeys, soldiers, and hunters
to war against the other. Dark elven
historians have even documented
cases in which warring priestesses
recruited outside adventurers from
the surface to bolster their forces.

Lolth never intervenes in such
struggles, even when it means the
demise of entire communities. The
success of the predator should never
be restrained by sympathy for the
prey.

stillbirths; the slain are absorbed back
into the mothers body.

Playing For Keeps

The fact that a newborn drow has sur¬
vived in the womb and made it through
birth does not guarantee its further
survival. All drow children, even those
not yet able to walk, feel an instinctive
homicidal impulse toward their siblings.
In fact, when opportunity rears its
head, most drow youngsters happily kill
any playmates. Despite this fact-or,
rather, because of it-children are not
kept apart in drow nurseries. Their
mothers want the strong children to
sharpen their predatory inclinations,
polishing off their weaker offspring in
the process. No drow wants a weak or
incompetent child to reach adulthood,
where she might bring shame to the
family. Note that strength need not be
physical; it is better to have a spindly
child whose cleverness allows her to
engineer the deaths of others than a
well-muscled brute who is easily fooled.
It goes without saying that any drow
bent toward mercy or virtue stands out
as glaringly weak. In the unlikely event
that his siblings don’t gang up on him
and crush his windpipe, the mother will
surely send such a shameful freak of
nature to the priestesses, as fodder for
their ceremonial daggers. It is for this
reason that good drow are exceedingly
rare. To survive without enthusiastically
embracing evil is next to impossible.

Drow parents rarely visit their chil¬
dren. Some weak-minded males might
enjoy playing with their spawn, but
nurses and other servants keep a
watchful eye on them.

No doubt because it is such a dan¬
gerous time for them, drow children
grow up much faster than the children
of other elves. By the age of eight,
drow children can walk, talk, and speak.
They are then carted off to receive
schooling. Junior priestesses tutor the
young, savagely punishing them for
misbehavior. Students might be caged,
doused with scalding or freezing water,
poked with sharpened sticks, poisoned,
burned, or simply pulverized with fists
and clubs. Such ill treatments scarcely
seem to slow down these untamable
children, who have already proven
themselves bullies and survivors at
home. Priestesses never fatally harm
their charges; if they want them dead,
it’s wasteful not to sacrifice them.

Religious doctrine is the main object
of study. Youngsters are also drilled in
combat maneuvers, literacy, mathemat¬
ics, alchemy, natural history, and various
artisan skills. Students who demonstrate
an affinity for magic are often taken out
of classes and apprenticed to wizards
and sorcerers.

School continues until the age of
twenty, when adolescence officially
begins. By this time, one out of every
three students will have been murdered
by classmates. Another one in ten will
have been sent to the temple as food
for Lolth.

THE ETHICS
OF DROW KILLING

Adventurers who want to maintain
their good alignments must always
think before they smite. Just because
the vast majority of ores or bug¬
bears, for example, tend to be evil,
does not guarantee that any particu¬
lar ore or bugbear deserves to be
mercilessly cut down in the name of
truth and virtue.

With drow, such qualms do not
apply. Virtually any individual in a
drow community has already proven
him- or herself a murderer-even
small children.

Be warned, though: By the same
token, almost all drow, including very
young ones, are experienced killers
and might boast shockingly high lev¬
els as warriors, rogues, or sorcerers.
More than one adventurer has died
an ignominious death after relaxing
his guard with a drow child.

Drow wanderers might, in exceed¬
ingly rare circumstances, claim the
mantle of goodness. Some individuals
exile themselves from their murder¬
ous communities in search of a
peaceful life out of Lolth’s reach. In
most cases, they’ll be consumed with
shame and self-loathing, unable to
fully shake the savagery of their
formative years. A supposedly good
drow might not gut you in the night
as you sleep, but he’ll still constantly
wrestle with powerful impulses
toward dishonesty, selfishness, and
treachery. The fact that surface-
dwellers shun them at all costs makes
life even more difficult for the infini¬
tesimally tiny fraction of drow who
sincerely seek redemption.

Tests of Treachery

During the years that bridge childhood
and adulthood, young drow are
expected to choose a role for them¬
selves in society and to set themselves
on a path toward achieving it. They
typically latch on to mentors, learning
their skills and acquainting themselves
with their contacts. Once a young adult
drow gains enough experience, she
waits for something terrible to befall
her mentor (or she might engineer it
herself if required by one of Lolth’s
tests) and attempts to step into her
mentors place. Typically this attempt
requires conflict with rival apprentices
or others with a claim on the mentors
clients, position, and property. It is con¬
sidered a high crime for drow to men¬
tor their own children, although
dispensation from high priestesses can
sometimes be had, for a price.

Masters are given the rights of life
or death over their proteges, but then,
so is everyone else. Adolescents may
not ingratiate themselves with priest¬
esses, and are therefore without pro¬
tection in drow society. They must keep
their heads down, while at the same
time proving themselves useful to their
patrons. To tip the balance either way
is risky. A too-humble apprentice is
perceived as easy to bully, while overly
ambitious ones alarm their masters,
who begin to fear assassination.

At the approximate age of eighty,
adolescents are expected to complete
a task indicating their mastery of their
chosen role. A hunter must capture a
valuable sacrifice, while a musician
must perform a particularly difficult
ballad. Not only must the drow per¬
form her task well, she must not show
any self-doubt or fear. Doing so
means failure in the eyes of Lolth, and
it results in horrible punishments.
Success indicates that the drow is
ready to be recognized as an adult.
Adolescents who pass the test without
dispatching their mentors must set up
shop for themselves, going into busi¬
ness independently.

Murder Ballads

As adults, drow look for proteges to
exploit, rivals to destroy, and opportu¬
nities for pleasure. Wealth and luxury
are seen as outward signals of success,
but the true measure of an adult’s sta¬
tus lies in the number of people she’s
murdered (or caused to be murdered),

and the creative manner in which her
prey were made to suffer as they
slowly perished. Just as a slow, tor¬
ture-filled slaying wins more admira¬
tion than a mercifully quick sneak
attack, different victims accrue vary¬
ing amounts of prestige. Killing a vic¬
tim well known to the community
confers more glory than a mere out¬
sider. Credit for sacrificial victims
goes to those who capture them. Thus,
the hunter class is among the most
admired in drow society, second only
to the priestesses.

An ingenious evisceration means
nothing if others do not know of it.
Hence, bards have a crucial role among
the drow. Social climbers hire bards to
commemorate their slayings in song. If
possible, they even invite the balladeers
to attend the killings, to more vividly
portray the slaughter. A skilled bard
with a popular following can greatly
enhance a drow’s prestige, transform¬
ing a run-of-the-mill execution into a
celebrated slaughter. Bards patrol the
winding passageways of an under¬
ground community, yipping out their
gore-spattered ballads in the screechy,
affected tone expected of a drow
singer. The hiring of a famed bard can
cost tens of thousands of gold pieces,
and the more an individual drow pays,
the greater her chances of social eleva¬
tion. The subject of the song might, for
example, attract a more powerful
priestess as a patron or gain new, well-
heeled customers for her business.

Especially popular murder songs out¬
last not only the fame of their victims,
but of the killers. Along with newly
commissioned songs, bards perform
timeless classics such as “The Burning
of Farza-Lach,” “Tornon’s Guts,” and
“Seven Drips from the Gore Cord.”

Accompanying a drow bard’s keening
voice is a complex, lute-like instrument
known as vazhan-do. Their tight strings
can be plucked furiously, unleashing a
violent torrent of notes, or slowly bent,
producing slow and disturbing sounds.
Any of the sixty-four strings of the
standard vazhan-do can be quickly
unstrung from the instrument, doubling
as a garrote. It is not surprising that
bards often double as assassins, as
their nightly rounds allow them to
travel throughout the community with¬
out question. Although their status as
hired killers is well-known, it would be
unthinkable to restrict their movements.

To refuse to give a bard hospitality is
to seem both cowardly and unsporting.
However, it is one thing to invite a
bard into one’s home and quite
another to let him out of one’s sight
for even a moment.

Lolth does not make it easy for her min¬
ions to please her. All drow feel a sense
of creeping unease as they progress in
their careers. This is true no matter
what roles they’ve selected in life. All
fear the day when they reach a level of
achievement that catches the cruel
attention of their grim goddess. Even
the all-powerful priestesses are not
immune to the dreaded Lolthtanchwi-
the “Punishments of Lolth.” Lolth puts
her worshipers through a number of
terrifying tests throughout their lives,
the first of which occurs in late adoles¬
cence (ist level in game terms). The
tests continue as the drow progresses
in strength and skill, each one more
demanding and with more terrifying
consequences than the last (for more on
the tests and punishments of Lolth, see
“Punishments of Loth” in this issue).

Drow perceive when each test is
about to descend on them. Their
senses become painfully acute, and the
world seems both more crisply real
and more menacing. In some cases,
horrifying visions preclude the start
of a test, while in others, a sign, such
as the sighting of a particular spider,
indicates a new test. Different tasks
are required of the drow for each
test, and they invariably require the
drow to risk both her life and all she
has achieved in life to date.

As is true for many species of spiders,
drow mating rituals are unpredictable
and fraught with peril-for the male.

Women enjoy an unquestioned
upper hand in drow society. The
priestesses run all political affairs, and
grim-faced matriarchs control families
and their business proceedings.
According to drow stereotypes,
females are smart, cool-headed, and
cruel, while males are foolish, impul¬
sive, and emotionally weak. Males kill
and maim to defend themselves and to
prove they are not cowards. Females
kill and maim because they enjoy it.

Females marry for political reasons
but are not monogamous. They may

dally with their followers, with travelers
from other communities, or even with
servants and slaves. Husbands are
expected to remain faithful to their
wives and are usually sacrificed if
caught cheating. On the other hand, if a
powerful priestess takes a liking to
another woman’s husband, she can
have him consigned to the sacrificial
altar for having the temerity to refuse
her his favors. Charming, well-muscled
males often face such no-win situa¬
tions. For this reason, handsome men
often disfigure themselves or spend
long periods away from the community
in all-male hunter bands.

Drow custom allows its females to
engage in cross-species coupling; if a
male engages in such a dalliance, it is
considered a capital offense. Any sex¬
ual contact between a drow and a
drider means instant death, no matter
what the status of the drow. Congress
with driders remains the mightiest
taboo in drow culture.

As fearsome as they are, the drow are
beset by many powerful enemies. They
must defend their subterranean com¬
munities against mind flayers, dwarven
warriors, and other humanoid adven¬
turing parties. Drow settlements cannot
be cleared out by merely charging from
room to room and killing the inhabitants
of each chamber. Dark elves react
quickly to intrusion. They install sophis¬
ticated magical alarms and mount sys¬
tematic patrols throughout a wide
perimeter so that the entire community
is mobilized for battle by the time ene¬
mies can reach its gates. The drow
wear down opponents with waves of
conscripted soldiers and common sol¬
diers before sending out high-level
hunters and mighty priestesses.

It is possible, though difficult, to gain
peaceful admittance to a drow enclave.
As lovers of luxury, dark elves hunger
for unusual foods, strange intoxicants,
fine fabrics, beautiful jewels, and other
exotic items they cannot produce them¬
selves. They’re also always in the mar¬
ket for slaves; specimens too damaged
to work can at least be torture victims.

Drow pay for these items with cap¬
tured loot from raids or with unique
magic items produced by their talented
wizards. They ensure premium value for
these items by keeping the techniques of

their creation secret. Most decent indi¬
viduals abhor all signs of drow crafts¬
manship and look askance at those who
make open use of drow magic items.
Although many sellers of magical curios
refuse to handle these items, they fetch
high prices in lands that have a ten¬
dency for evil.

There are easier ways of making a
living than running trade caravans into
the Underdark, but a few intrepid indi¬
viduals have earned fortunes this way.
Drow do not easily trust outsiders,
even when vouched for by traders they
already know. Only after many suc¬
cessful and mutually profitable trade
missions are non-drow given free
access to a dark elven settlement. Even
an ally of long standing can always be
hauled off for ritual murder when he
commits a major gaffe, or if the drow
are desperate enough for sacrifices.

Drow are most likely to admit adven¬
turing parties past their gates as the
bound, gagged, and unconscious cap¬
tives of hunting parties. Most captives
are maimed and put to work as slaves,
but adventurers are usually treated
with extreme care until an auspicious
time for sacrifice arrives. Still, it is not
unknown for adventurers to escape
from captivity and fight their way out
of a drow enclave.

The chambers of any drow settlement
crawl with spiders. From mites the size
of pinpricks to guardian tarantulas
the size of houses, there is no area
of a dark elven community devoid
of spiders. They skitter in swarms
across walls and along floors. They
drop from ceilings. Webs, some
stronger than rope, hang from every
imaginable surface.

Although guests might be unnerved
by the spiders’ inescapable presence,
the locals pay them no heed. Cobwebs
are waved or burnt away without com¬
ment. The squishing and crunching
sound of stepped-on spiders is a con¬
stant refrain. Drow do not bother to
check for spiders before sitting. A
matriarch might idly seize a fist-sized
spider while negotiating a trade
arrangement and proceed to casually
rip its legs off, one by one. Drow
breads and puddings are speckled with
stray legs, mandibles, and eggs. The
overwhelming presence of so many spi¬
ders is often disconcerting to non-drow

3o august 2oo2

visitors, but drow themselves hardly
take note of the creatures.

Theater of Atrocity

There are no more fervent followers
of the arts than dark elves-provided
that the works in question revel in
demented evil.

Lolth’s ritual slayings can be seen as
a gruesome form of performance art.
Although everyday sacrifices are con¬
ducted in small temples or shrines,
events featuring notable victims are
often held in large amphitheaters in
which the entire community can
gather. These events provoke a carni¬
val atmosphere, with raucous laughter
filling the hall as jesters leap through
the stalls. Bards stroll the aisles,
singing of murder, and celebrants haul
in food and wine to consume through¬
out the event. Intoxicating vapors waft
from censers, making hearts beat
faster and hands tremble with blood-
lust. Priestesses and other members of
the gentry watch from private boxes
fixed with blinds that can be drawn for
privacy. Everything from conspiracies
to trysts might be negotiated in the
confines of these boxes.

Most drow bloodsports are horribly
brutal and gory. In one popular enter¬
tainment, a bound captive is held
beneath an apparatus that slowly drips
a magical acid onto his forehead, one
drop at a time. The solvent opens up a
hole in the victim’s skull and then
melts the brain. During this time, orbs
of telepathic power communicate the
dying victim’s memories to the salivat¬
ing crowd. Attendees vicariously savor
the captive’s most traumatic
and painful experiences as he
slowly succumbs.

Not all bloodletting in the amphithe¬
ater is fatal. Torturers often display
their supreme skill with their filleting
blades by leaving victims just on the
brink of death. The most artful tortur¬
ers become as famous as bards. Even
torture victims, left alive to magically
heal between performances, can
become drow celebrities if they
can communicate their suffering art¬
fully enough.

Drow taste in the decorative arts
is appalling to non-evil humanoids.

One particularly skilled class of drow
artisans specializes in incredibly life¬
like sculpture that looks as if it’s cre¬
ated from living flesh. In truth, the

sculptures are carved from blocks
of drider silk, elaborately hand-painted
and made to move through complex
mechanical craftsmanship. Many are
life-sized depictions of torture or may¬
hem. Common motifs include a human
paladin impaled on a pike, a spider eat¬
ing the brains of a halfling, or the good
elven god, Corellon Larethian, carved
up on the torture table.

In some drow communities, more
abstract pieces are popular, such as a
tapestry of liquid flesh in which hun¬
dreds of oozing eyes continually drift
upward and downward in a regular
wave pattern.

Predation,
travel, and Warfare

For many male drow, finding peace
and autonomy is possible only on
the trail, away from their wives, moth¬
ers, and sisters. (Although nothing
stops female drow from becoming
hunters, women tend to stay at home,
closer to the levers of power.)

Hunters win status for themselves
and wealth for their families by cap¬
turing slaves and sacrificial victims.
They especially seek out adventurers
to attack, because such powerful
individuals are highly prized sacrificial
commodities.

It is a short step for some discon¬
tented dark elves to keep wandering
and never return home. So-called
“good” drow are typically former
hunters who have decided to find
places for themselves in other soci¬
eties. Even when fighting for appar¬
ently good causes, they find their
ingrained predatory habits hard
to shake.

Prosperous drow communities might
decide to give Lolth her favorite gift
of all and launch warfare against a
nearby town, village, or underground
settlement. The object of such con¬
quests is always the same: mass mur¬
der. Victorious drow slaughter entire
populations in the name of Lolth. On
rare occasions, ambitious priestesses
seek alliances with other drow
enclaves, hoping to build armies big
enough to overrun and slaughter
entire nations. Such efforts might be
successful in the interim but are gen¬
erally short-lived, as it does not take
much provocation for jealous priest¬
esses from different communities to
turn on one another.

and Burial

In the bloodthirsty culture of the drow,
the words “burial” and “old age” do
not exist. It is rare for a drow to sur¬
vive past 400 years, and sooner or
later, a drow powerful enough to have
gained so many years will certainly
attract the attention of Lolth and end
up on the sacrificial altar. Drow who
die of natural causes are considered
to have shamed Lolth. Their bodies are
simply left to rot, their carcasses
feeding the insects and vermin. In
some cases however, such as when a
more prominent drow dies of natural
causes, the priestesses might choose
to use the death as an example to
other drow, imparting on them the
shame that comes with never having
caught the eye of Lolth and been
called to sacrifice. The corpse of such
a drow is strung up over the door of
her family home, suspended by deli¬
cate spider silk, and left until only
bones remain. This serves as a symbol
of the family’s shame, and a reminder
to other drow of the benefits of mur¬
dering particularly long-lived family
members. Drow who fall in battle or
who have been killed by another drow
receive a “blessing” from Lolth. Rather
than being thrown on the garbage
heap or left to rot over the doorway
of one’s ancestral home, the flesh on
their bodies is ceremoniously stripped
from the bones by a priestess, dried,
and used for clothing enhancements or
to make czak’ls, special bowls used to
collect blood drained from sacrificed
victims. Their remaining body parts
and bones are soaked in a strong acid,
and after a few days, nothing remains.

The drow have no concept of
ancestor worship, and they do not
grieve for fallen family members.
Instead, they are too busy scheming
how to use the death to their advan¬
tage. This might mean gaining new
power and prestige within the family,
new business contacts, or new inher¬
ited wealth. On the extremely rare
occasion that a drow feels loss over
the death of a mate or family member,
it is advantageous to hide such feel¬
ings. A dark elf stupid enough to
demonstrate an emotion as useless as
grief is considered an abomination,
and quickly and painfully sacrificed
to Lolth. ^

32 august 2oo2

The Bestiary:

OF LOLTH

by Eric Cagle • illustrated by Anthony Waters

Deep beneath the surface world
lies a realm of darkness, danger,
and betrayal. Although many
races claim it as their home, the sinister
drow claim to be its rulers. With arro¬
gance that few can manage, the drow
lord over their slaves, scheming and
plotting behind the backs of their kin.
Despite their sense of superiority, the
drow fear one thing: their dark goddess
Lolth, Queen of Spiders.

Lolth is a nightmare that few can

comprehend. Although she grants the
drow incredible power, wealth, and
influence, she is also utterly corrupting.
Anyone who worships Lolth walks on a
knifes edge over madness, evil, and
death. Described here are the various
stages of this life path, called
Lolthtanchwi, The Punishments of Lolth.

Urztehii— The Unchosen

Like any other race, the vast majority
of drow are ist level by default. In
some ways, they are the luckiest,

34 august 2oo2

because they do not have to endure
the torment and agony of having Lolth’s
many eyes turn their way. To the
haughty upper classes this is just as
well, for they consider drow of such
puny power and low status to be cattle
and slaves for the elite.

If a drow does not have the ambition
to advance in society, then this is
where they remain, toiling away as sol¬
diers, servants, and playthings for the
rest. They will die, and Lolth will con¬
sume their souls in the afterlife. Most
are resigned to their fate, and they try
to cram as much hedonism into their
miserable lives as they can manage.

This usually involves tormenting as
many non-drow as possible.

When drow, through accident or
determination, show a high degree of
ambition, they play a dangerous game.
Not only must they prove themselves
to their kin, but they must also show
Lolth that they are worthy in her eyes.
This is known as the Test of Darkness.

The Zwy’il

The drow word zwy’il (pronounced
zwy-ILL) means “candidate” and is used
to represent drow who are being tested
by Lolth. In a way, all drow who wor¬
ship Lolth are considered zwy’il, for the
Queen of Spiders is constantly review¬
ing and putting her children through
series after series of tests of worthi¬
ness. However, most drow, especially
clerics, reserve the term for specific
drow who show the obvious signs of
the tests.

The Paths of Lolthtanchwi

The Punishments of Lolth are a series
of tests that a drow must go through as
she increases in power. The Queen of
Spiders is a fickle, cruel, and exacting
mistress who delights in seeing drow
break down into chaos and insanity as
often as she enjoys seeing them expand
and dominate.

Each of these tests takes place as the
drow advances in level. She is com¬
pelled to pass it, or ruin is certain. The
drow call these tests “punishments”
(chwi, in Drow) because there is no
benefit to passing, other than being able
to live. Drow who have managed to
evade the terrifying web of Lolth’s
power by gaining the favor of another
deity are not affected by these tests,
but they also become the target of
every Lolth-worshiping drow.

Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed:
AC:

Attacks:

Damage:

Face/Reach:
Special Attacks:

Special Qualities:

Saves:

Abilities:

Skills:

Feats:

Climate/Terrain:

Organization:

Challenge Rating:
Treasure:
Alignment:
Advancement:
ECL:

Aracholoth

Medium-Size Aberration
3d8+6 (hp 19)

+2 (Dex)

30 ft., climb 15 ft.

15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural),
touch 12, flat-footed 13
Bite +3 melee; or shortbow
+4 ranged

Bite id6+i and poison; or
shortbow id6
5 ft. by 5 ft./ 5 ft.

Gaze, poison, spell-like

abilities

SR 14

Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +4
Str 12, Dex 14, Con 14,

Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 10
Climb +10, Concentration +7,
Hide +8, Listen +7, Move
Silently +8, Spot +7

Any underground
Solitary, pair, troupe (2-7
plus 7-12 Small monstrous
spiders), or company (1-2
driders, 7-12 aracholoths,
plus 11-20 Small monstrous
spiders)

Standard

Always chaotic evil
By character class
+5

Chwineka: The Test of Darkness

When a drow has shown ambition, drive,
and a willingness to put herself before
others, she has taken her first step onto
Lolthtanchwi. She is now considered a
zwy’il and is subject to the whims of her
dark goddess. To the drow, this transi¬
tion is known as Chwineka (chwee-
NEHK-ah), or the Test of Darkness.

In some ways, this is the most terrify¬
ing of tests, because it comes seemingly
at random and without warning. The
zwy’il is inspected by Lolth to see if she
is dark enough of heart to truly be a
drow. To the drow, being dark of heart
means being without mercy, filled with
selfishness, and possessing a remarkable
sense of superiority.

This chwi comes suddenly and always
at a time in which the drow is perform¬
ing some deed within view of other dark
elves. The drow feels her heart swell
with pride, power, and drive, tinged with
a sensation of being watched from afar.
If she gives any indication of self-doubt
or unworthiness, a terrible pain clutches
her heart. Without any warning, the
zwy’il’s body begins to convulse and
transform. Her eyes blacken and grow to
enormous proportions, while six smaller
eyes emerge around her face. Two huge

Aracholoths are terrible and vengeful
creatures that hide in the darkness looking
for prey. They hate drow with a passion
and will band together with driders to hunt
them down.

Aracholoths look like a half-mix of drow
and drider. They appear humanoid, with
four spider-like legs and a shiny black
carapace. Their faces are particularly
horrifying, with eight spider-eyes and two
poisonous fangs.

Combat

Aracholoths are dangerous and terrifying
creatures that try to horrify their
opponents before descending upon them in
melee. They typically pelt opponents with
arrows from the darkness, then charge in
with their gaze attack. They pursue any
creature that flees.

Gaze (Su): Cause fear as if cast by a
3rd-level sorcerer, 30 feet, Will negates
(DC 11).

Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 13);
initial and secondary damage id4
temporary Strength.

Spell-Like Abilities: i/day- dancing lights,
darkness, faerie fire, suggestion, and web.
These abilities are as the spells cast by a
3rd-level sorcerer (save DC 11 + spell
level).

poisonous fangs emerge from the
zwy’il’s mouth. Lastly, an extra pair of
spider-like legs grows from her torso.
The drow has been transformed into an
aracholoth-another monstrous creation
of Lolth that is feared and persecuted by
other drow (see the Aracholoth sidebar).
Lolth hates all such transformed drow
and takes pleasure in making them mere
mockeries of spiders and drow, rather
than true members of either species.

The Chwineka occurs when a drow
has gained enough experience to
advance to 2nd level.

Chwikezzar: The Test of Ambition

Surviving the Chwineka, the zwy’il has
shown the sense of superiority neces¬
sary to advance in drow society. Lesser
drow immediately give her deference in
most social circumstances, although she
must still be mindful of her place in the
hierarchy. The zwy’il must now brace for
the Chwikezzar (chwee-keh-ZAR), or
Test of Ambition.

To those who study the insane logic of
Lolth, Chwikezzar is seen as the simplest
of the tests, because the natural drive,
zeal, and urge to succeed that all drow
possess is weighed by the Queen of
Spiders. However, no one is ever sure

what amount is necessary to placate her
desire. Zwy’il at this point commit horrid
acts of murder, fraud, deception, and
coercion to advance their place in soci¬
ety. This is tempered by the fact that all
drow must continually be mindful of
their place in that society. A drow can
show tremendous energy in doing what
it takes to succeed, but it only takes one
wrong move to receive a poisoned dag¬
ger in the back-complements of a supe¬
rior’s assassin. The drow must place
herself above others during this stage,
wheeling and dealing, jostling for position
at the expense of others.

The actual test is subtle. The zwy’il
receives information from an anony-

Spiderleg Horror

Large Aberration
Hit Dice: i2d8+6o (114 hp)

Initiative: +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved
Initiative)

Speed: 30 ft., 30 ft. burrow, 30 ft.
climb

AC: 21 (+3 Dex, -1 size, +9
natural), touch 12,
flat-footed 18

Attacks: 8 leg rakes +14 melee
Damage: Leg id6+6
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./ 1 o ft.

Special Attacks: Constrict, improved grab
Special Qualities: Leg regeneration,
tremorsense

Saves: Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +11
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 17, Con 20,

Int 3, Wis 16, Cha 3

Skills: Climb +15, Hide +7, Listen
+8, Move Silently +10,

Spot +8

Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved
Initiative

Climate/Terrain: Underground

Organization: Solitary, cluster (2-5), or
colony (11-20)

Challenge Rating: 9

Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 10-13 HD (Large); 14-27 HD
(Huge)

ECL: +11

mous source, spelling out an extremely
profitable venture, but at great risk-the
exact endeavor depends on the “busi¬
ness” that the drow is involved in. For
example, a drow merchant might find a
way to completely eliminate a competitor
and raise the price of her goods but at
the risk of angering a high-powered
priestess. The information is correct, but
it cannot be verified. If the zwy’il acts on
this information and takes the risk, then
she passes the test.

If the zwy’il hesitates or does not
use the opportunity presented to her,
then Lolth considers her unworthy of
ambition. From that point on, almost
everything the drow does is doomed

Spiderleg horrors lurk in caverns deep
beneath the earth-a nearly mindless beast
that searches out prey to strangle and
devour. Spiderleg horrors look like a writhing
mass of flexible, hairy spider legs. Each leg
ends in a sharp tip, and one side is covered
in thorn-like hair that can rip through flesh
and bone with ease. Its central body is buried
deep under its dozens of limbs and is usually
seen only after the creature has been killed.

A spiderleg horror moves in a skittering
undulation, crawling up walls or burrowing
through earth with ease.

Combat

Spiderleg horrors lurk in the darkness waiting
for prey, hiding just beneath the surface of
the earth or high on a cavern wall.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a spiderleg horror
hits an opponent that is at least one size
category smaller than itself with at least two
leg attacks, it deals normal damage and
attempts to start a grapple as a free action
without provoking an attack of opportunity
(grapple bonus +14). If it gets a hold, it also
constricts on the same round. Alternatively,
the spiderleg horror has the option to use
one leg to grapple the opponent (-20 penalty
on grapple check, but the spiderleg horror is
not considered grappled). In either case, each
successful grapple check it makes during
successive rounds automatically deals leg
damage plus constrict damage.

Constrict (Ex): With a successful grapple
check, a spiderleg horror can crush a
grabbed opponent, dealing an extra 3d 6
points of damage. This damage is considered
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Leg Regeneration (Ex): Foes can attack a
spiderleg horror’s tentacles, but only when
those appendages are actually holding an
opponent. A leg has an AC of 23 (touch 14)
and can withstand 20 points of damage. The
loss of a leg does not harm the creature (that
is, the damage does not apply against its hit
point total), and it regrows the limb within a
day.

Tremorsense (Ex): A spiderleg horror can
automatically sense the location of anything
within 60 feet that is in contact with the
ground.

to failure-business opportunities dry
up, spells fail with alarming regularity,
and she is inexplicably shunned by
other drow. Eventually, the drow
either goes into exile, goes mad, or is
killed. When the drow fails the
Chwikezzar, a tiny green spider is
seen exiting the body.

In game terms, a drow that has
failed the Chwikezzar suffers from a
-6 effective decrease in Charisma
(minimum 1) and a -4 enhancement
penalty to attack rolls, saving throws,
ability checks, and skill checks. These
penalties can be removed by any non-
Lolth-worshiping spellcaster casting
bestow curse , break enchantment, lim¬
ited wish, miracle, remove curse, or
wish so long as the drow suffering the
effects forswears Lolth. This test
occurs at some point when the drow
has gained enough experience to
advance to 3rd, 4th, or 5th level.

Chwidridera: The Test of the Drider

The Chwidridera (chwee-dri-DERA), or
the Test of the Drider, is the most infa¬
mous of the Punishments of Lolth. It is
known outside of drow society, mainly
because those who fail the test are
transformed into the foul creatures
known as driders. At this point, the drow
has shown a high amount of aspiration,
backstabbing, and conniving as she
advances up the social ladder, but she
walks a fine line between the “healthy”
arrogance of a normal drow and mega¬
lomania, thinking that she is immune to
her dark goddess’s wrath.

When this aspect of the Lolthtanchwi
begins, the drow has disturbing visions
of her body being consumed from the
inside by a mass of spiders. In a manner
uncharacteristic for a drow, the zwy’il
begins to avoid and fear spiders.
Considering the amount of spiders and
spider imagery that abounds in the cities
of the drow, the zwy’il must confront
this fear almost every waking second.
Her paranoia increases, and she
becomes convinced that every spider is
waiting to sink its venomous fangs into
her flesh. If the zwy’il can manage to
overcome this irrational behavior, the
fear abates, and her usual respect and
admiration for spiders returns.

Those who fail this test do so by
fleeing their community. Once this has
happened, the zwy’il knows her fate is
sealed. She is filled with an overwhelm¬
ing sense of dread and foreboding, as

36 august 2oo2

the visions of the spiders eating her
alive fill her mind in their horrible
vividness.

Nothing happens until the next time
she rests. The visions return with a
terrible intensity, and a single minis¬
cule red spider appears and crawls
into the zwy’il’s mouth. Once the spi¬
der is inside, the drow goes through a
grotesque and traumatic transforma¬
tion during which she turns into a
drider (see the Monster Manual).

If horrified onlookers do not kill the
drider, it flees into the Underdark, know¬
ing that it can never return. Drow
despise driders, recognizing that they
are failures in the eyes of Lolth, and will
do anything to see them destroyed. The
driders mind is twisted by the transfor¬
mation, filled with an incredible hatred
for the race to which it once belonged.
Drow clerics tell that Lolth revels in this
animosity and the chaos that is sown
from the creation of one of these aber¬
rations. The Chwidridera occurs when a
drow has gained enough experience to
advance to 6th level.

Chwiakrell-The Test of Lies

If the zwy’il manages to survive the
dreaded Test of the Drider, she still
has many challenges to face. The next
test focuses on the zwy’il’s status
within drow society. Even the most
secluded drow must have some inter¬
action with her kin; even if just to
threaten them into leaving her alone.
For a drow who is more entrenched in
the workings of her people, the web of
intrigue and doublecrossing begins to
tighten around her as she enters into
the Chwiakrell (pronounced chwee-uh-
KRELL), or Test of Lies.

The zwy’il must plant seeds of lies and
deception, with the dual purposes of
bringing down an enemy and propelling
herself higher up the ladder of status.
The lie can be small and subtle, so long
as it ripples and grows to monstrous
proportions. The lie must also be com¬
pletely untrue, although the zwy’il can
help the lie along by planting evidence
and arranging compromising situations
for the victim to be caught in.

The zwy’il knows the test has begun
when she catches wind of a rumor
about her that is completely untrue (pos¬
sibly the result of another drow’s
Chwiakrell). A cocky zwy’il can fail her
test immediately if she does nothing, but
most go through tremendous effort to

quash the rumor (and the perpetrator)
as quickly as possible. Clerics of Lolth
believe that the Queen of Spiders whis¬
pers these lies into the ear of another
drow to begin the test.

The zwy’il passes the test if her
chosen victim is utterly humiliated and
removed from her position of power,
or (preferably) killed as a result of the
lie. As mentioned above, the zwy’il
fails the Chwiakrell if she does not
respond to the lies about her. She also
fails if her plan to bring down the vic¬
tim does not have the desired effect.

If irrefutable proof of innocence is
presented to other drow, the zwy’il
immediately fails the test.

Drow who fail this test become inca¬
pable of lying as though under the
effects of a zone of truth spell. This
effect can be removed by any non-
Lolth-worshiping spellcaster casting
bestow curse , break enchantment ; lim¬
ited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish
so long as the drow suffering the effects
forswears Lolth. The Chwiakrell occurs
when the drow has gained enough expe¬
rience to advance to 7th or 8th level.

Brood Mother

Large Aberration
Hit Dice: i8d8+go (171 hp)

Initiative: +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved
Initiative)

Speed: 40 ft., 30 ft. climb
AC: 21 (+3 Dex, -1 size, +12
natural), touch 9,
flat-footed 18
Attacks: Bite +14 melee
Damage: Bite 486+12 and poison
Face/Reach: 20 ft. by 20 ft./ 1 0 ft.

Special Attacks: Poison, spell-like abilities,
web

Special Qualities: Immunities, SR 25

Saves: Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 17, Con 20,

Int 6, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: Climb +17, Concentration
+10, Listen +10, Spot +10
Feats: Alertness, Combat Casting,
Improved Initiative

Climate/Terrain: Underground

Organization: Solitary or brood (1 brood
mother, 10-20 Small
monstrous spiders, 1-10
Large monstrous spiders, 1-
6 Huge monstrous spiders)

Challenge Rating: 14

Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 19-36 HD (Gargantuan); 37-
54 HD (Colossal)

ECL: +11

Chwidencha-The Test of Sacrifice

Having learned that the only person she
can trust is herself, the zwy’il must now
understand the meaning of sacrifice. The
drow word for sacrifice (dencha) does
not have quite the same meaning when it
is translated in the Common tongue. For
the drow, sacrifice equals loss without
gaining anything in return. The concept
of freely giving something to another
without gaining any benefit in the
process is completely alien to the drow
mindset. During the Chwidencha, the
zwy’il learns what this sacrifice truly
means. Lolth is a greedy goddess and
seeks to possess and consume anything
that others have. By surviving this test,
the zwy’il learns to prize her possessions
and hoard anything of significance.

This test begins after the drow has
gained something of importance. It is not
necessarily a material item-an increase
in status, a new skill or spell, or some
advance in personal ability is likely, too.
Shortly after the boon, the zwy’il
catches sight of the spider messenger of
Lolth, which appears on the object or
representation of the trait that Lolth
wants for herself. It might be a powerful
magic item, a fabulous jewel, or even the

A brood mother looks like an enormous
black widow spider with a tormented drow
head. It does not have any hands, but it does
have two deceptively strong, feathery
antennae close to its face that can grasp and
use objects.

Like driders, brood mothers are outcasts
from drow society and are ruthlessly hunted
down when found. Brood mothers prefer to
be left alone, content to spawn huge
numbers of monstrous spiders from the
victims caught in her webs.

Combat

Brood mothers prefer to fight from behind a
shield of their monstrous spider kin.

Immunities (Ex): Brood mothers are
immune to webs (they cannot be caught in a
spider’s web or a web spell), poisons, and
mind-affecting effects.

Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 24);
initial damage 2d6 Constitution, secondary
damage death.

The poison injected by a brood mother is
actually a tiny egg in a fluid that causes
rapid growth of the egg under the right
conditions. The bodies of creatures killed by
a brood mother’s poison burst apart as a
monstrous spider, already grown to
maturity, is born to the world. The birthed
spider’s size is dependent on the size of the
creature it was born from. The monstrous
spider born is always one size category
smaller than the creature that gave it birth.

zwy’il’s hand. Whatever it is, the zwy’il
immediately knows what the spider is
indicating. Lolth never chooses some¬
thing trivial-only something that has a
close and powerful connection to the
zwy’il suffices. In addition, the sacrifice
is something that seriously hurts or
reduces the drow in some way, whether
through the loss of magical might, social
status, mental facility, or a physical trait.

The zwy’il must decide if she willingly
makes the sacrifice, and she must make
the sacrifice within one week of the
appearance of Lolth’s messenger. In the
case of an object, she must present it to
another drow of equal or higher status,
preferably a priestess of Lolth. If it is a
skill, feat, or ability, the zwy’il experi¬
ences a wrenching vision that feels as
though her soul is being torn apart, and
she is drained of \d/\ x 200 XP. Some
zwy’il are even commanded to sacrifice
a part of their own bodies, such as an
eye, foot, or ear.

If the zwy’il willingly goes through
with the sacrifice, she passes the test. If
she refuses to part with the chosen sac¬
rifice, she fails, with terrible conse¬
quences. The next time the drow
touches the treasured object or uses the

Thus, an ogre killed by a brood mother’s
poison would give birth to a Medium-size
monstrous spider. When a creature
succeeds at the second saving throw against
the brood mother’s poison, its body has
nullified the growth liquid and killed the egg.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day- dancing lights,
darkness, deeper darkness, detect chaos,
detect evil, detect good, detect law, detect
magic, and faerie fire. Caster level 14th; save
DC 13 + spell level.

Web (Ex): Brood mothers spin webs as
monstrous spiders. They may cast a web
eight times per day. This is similar to an
attack with a net, but it has a maximum
range of 50 feet with a range increment of
10 feet and is effective against targets of
Huge or smaller size (see Chapter 7 of the
Players Handbook for details on net attacks).
The web anchors the target in place, allowing
no movement.

An entangled creature can escape with a
successful Escape Artist check (DC 30) or
burst it with a Strength check (DC 36). Both
are standard actions. The web has 16 hit
points. See the monstrous spider entry in
Appendix 2 of the Monster Manual for more
information about webs.

38 august 2oo2

ability Lolth desired, she transforms into a spi-
derleg horror (see the Spiderleg Horror side-
bar). The Chwidencha occurs when the drow
has gained enough experience to advance to
gth, 10th, or nth level.

Chwidevbrii-The Test of Betrayal

Chwidevbrii, or the Test of Betrayal, is a pun¬
ishment that strikes deep. As the zwy’il has
progressed through the various trials and
tribulations of Lolth, she has gained powerful
allies as well as powerful enemies. Although
trust is a distasteful concept to most drow,
they understand that sometimes it does hap¬
pen and is even necessary. The Test of
Betrayal teaches the zwy’il that she can only
trust one person-herself.

To succeed at this test, the zwy’il must
betray someone who has garnered her trust
or in whom she has placed her trust.

Mentors, teachers, leaders, friends, and family
members are all fair game, as long as there
has been a solid connection of dependence
made in the past. The relationship between
master and slave or servant does not count;
Lolth knows that betrayal is inherent in such a
relationship. The victim must also be on
roughly the same (or higher) social step as
the zwy’il-murdering a trusted stable hand
means nothing to the Queen of Spiders.

The zwy’il must utterly destroy the other
drow in a way that allows her to advance in
some manner. The method is not important:
Blackmail, slander, and theft are commonly
used. In the end, the victim must die. Usually,
the victim is murdered by the zwy’il herself,
commits suicide, or is killed by a third party
as a result of the zwy’il’s slander campaign.

The Chwidevbrii begins when the drow’s
attention is drawn to a peculiar black spider
with a dagger-like marking on its back. This
occurs in the presence of the victim, who is
oblivious to its presence. Once the victim has
been chosen, nothing can change it, and the
result is either a ruinous end for the victim or
for the zwy’il-the zwy’il succeeds when the
victim is dead. If it takes an unusually long
time for the plan to manifest or if the zwy’il
attacks the victim but does not kill her, she
fails the test.

Punishment for failure results in having
the target retaliate against the zwy’il. If the
target does not immediately succeed, she
gains a supernatural ability to hunt down
the zwy’il, and it is just a matter of time
before the failed drow is lying dead at her
feet. If the zwy’il manages to eliminate the
target after this point, the test is still con¬
sidered a failure, and a family member,
servant, or other ally takes up the pursuit
of the failure. As in the other tests, a tiny

spider is sometimes seen exiting the mouth
of the corpse of the failed zwy’il.

When a drow fails this test, the target gains
the ability to find the zwy’il at will using dis¬
cern location (as though cast by a sorcerer of
the zwy’il’s level). The target retains this abil¬
ity until the zwy’il is dead or until Lolth deems
a different drow must take up the quest.

The Chwidevbrii occurs at some point after
a drow has gained 12th level and before the
drow has gained 15th level.

Chwihendrell-The Test of Domination

Having dispatched a drow ally in the last test,
the zwy’il must now prove that she is capable
of ruling lesser beings by leading her people
to dominate non-drow. This is known as
Chwihendrell (pronounced chwee-hen-DRELL),
or the Test of Domination.

Chwihendrell begins when a spider mes¬
senger draws the zwy’il’s attention toward a
non-drow being. This could be as direct as
seeing the spider crawling along the tunic of a
duergar slave in the streets, or as abstract as
watching it crawl across a map, where it set¬
tles on a territory known for its infestation of
illithids. To the zwy’il, the meaning is clear:

The chosen race must be destroyed.

To pass the test, the zwy’il must raise an
army (or elite team) and mount an assault on
a significant population of the chosen race.
The goal is elimination and/or enslavement,
down to every man, woman, and child. The
population must be the equivalent to a small
town (see Chapter 4: Adventures in the
Dungeon Masters Guide), although this
amount can be spread out over numerous
individuals, thorps, hamlets, and villages.

Unlike the other tests, the Chwihendrell
does not have a set time limit. The test can
take years to complete if the enemy proves
particularly tenacious or has a large popula¬
tion. Certain hard-to-find races, like the kuo-
toa, can be maddeningly difficult to eradicate,
which suits the twisted humor of Lolth.

Failure is also arbitrary. If Lolth believes the
zwy’il has taken too long to meet her goal or
the enemy manages to regroup and mount a
significant counterattack, the zwy’il fails the
test. This awareness comes suddenly, along
with a sensation of abandonment and despair.
Over the course of a few minutes, her body
undergoes a transformation similar to that
experienced during the Test of the Drider.
Instead of becoming a drider, however, the
failed drow is transformed into a brood
mother (see the Brood Mother sidebar).

The brood mother is a source of many of
the different species of monstrous spiders
that roam the darkness of the subterranean
world. It is “born” pregnant and spawns many

For Your Character

If you like what you see in this article,
show it to your DM and ask her if you
can play a drow. If your DM is inter¬
ested in running a whole campaign set
in the Underdark, she also might allow
you to play one of the other monsters
presented in this article.

One of the reasons you might be
allowed to play a drow is if your DM
allows you to play evil characters. Only
neutral or evil characters dedicated to
Lolth should have to endure the
Lolthtanchwi. If your DM doesn’t
already allow evil PCs, ask her to look
at the Book of Vile Darkness, releasing
in October, and Dragon #300 for
advice on how to run games with evil
PCs and for advice for you on how to
play them.

For Your Campaign

If you have no drow PCs who would
go through these tests, you can still
get a lot of use from this article:

• The monsters provided here make
great additions to any campaign,
whether or not it involves drow and
the Underdark.

• Perhaps a drow going through
these tests focuses on the PCs for the
Chwisasshra or Chwidevbrii. If the
drow fails, Lolth grants the PCs the
ability to hunt down their foe.

• Perhaps the PCs are in a city
attacked by a drow going through the
Chwihendrel. If they fend off the
attack, they must deal with the brood
mother the drow turns into.

In campaigns in which some or all
of the PCs are playing drow, the
Lolthtanchwi presents interesting chal¬
lenges and opportunities for those
involved.

• If your players playing drow PCs
would rather not incur the extra risks,
these tests can occur between adven¬
tures as background material. You can
describe in exacting, horrifying detail
what terrible events the drow endures
to pass onto the next level. This should
be done privately, so that none of the
other players are aware of what
changes in his personality has
occurred.

• As an alternate method, you
might have the player make a saving
throw to see if her character survives
a chwi. Have the player make a single
Will, Fortitude, or Reflex save (her
choice), with the DC equal to 10 + the
level that the character is trying to
attain. Success indicates the zwy’il
lives, and failure means that she suf¬
fers the fate described for that level.

• If you run a more drow oriented
campaign, try actually running the
tests as part of adventures. Some
players will object to such an arbitrary
way of having their character killed or
transformed, so the DM should make it
known well ahead of time what rules
for drow PCs are in effect.

spiders during its lifetime. The brood
mother injects other creatures with its
offspring, killing the injected victim
and giving birth to its children. These
spiders are likely to kill the drow’s
enemies at some point, and in Lolth’s
twisted logic, she accomplishes her
extermination goals by creating more
brood mothers.

The Chwihendrell occurs after the
drow has gained enough experience to
advance to 15th level.

Chwisasshra-The Test of
Vengeance

The zwy’il is now ready to face the
Chwisasshra, or Test of Vengeance.
Just as in the Test of Betrayal, when
the drow brought down a trusted
friend, the Chwisasshra demands that
she utterly destroy a sworn enemy.

Proxy of Lolth

Female choldrith^ demigod (divine rank 1)^
Clri6; CR 25; Large aberration; HD 2od8+6o;
hp 220; Init +8; Spd 120 ft., climb 120 ft.; AC
37 (touch 18, flat-footed 34); Atk +21 melee
(2d4+7 and poison, bite); or +24/+19/+14/+9
(^4+9/19-20, +4 ghost touch chaotic
shocking burst dagger)-, Face/Reach 5 ft. by
10 ft./io ft.; SA Poison, cleric spells, spell¬
like abilities, web; SO. Damage reduction
36/+4, spell resistance 33, fire resistance 21,
divine checks, immunities, control creatures
(drow), immortal, divine senses, portfolio
sense, automatic actions, create magic items,
divine aura, spontaneous casting,
communication, domain powers; AL CE; SV
Fort +18, Ref +16, Will +25; Str 20, Dex 19,

Con 17, Int 15, Wis 21, Cha 18.

Skills and Feats: Balance +19, Climb +23,
Concentration +18, Hide +20, Jump +20,
Knowledge (religion) +17, Spellcraft +17;

Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Iron Will,
Lightning Reflexes, Quicken Spell, Spell
Penetration, Weapon Focus (bite).

Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 23);
initial and secondary damage 3d6 temporary
Constitution.

Spell-like Abilities: At will-any Chaos, Evil,
or Destruction domain spell (as if by an nth-
level sorcerer); At will -teleport without error
(as if by a 2oth-level sorcerer; additional
weight limited to 100 pounds); 2/ day— darkness,
bless (as if by a 2oth-level sorcerer).

Web (Ex): Choldriths spin webs as
monstrous spiders. They can cast a web eight
times a day. This is similar to an attack with a
net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with
a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective
against targets of Medium-size or smaller. The
web anchors targets in place.

Divine Checks: A proxy of Lolth does not
automatically fail attack rolls and saving
throws on a roll of 1. The proxy of Lolth gains
its divine rank as a bonus to all skill checks,
ability checks, caster level checks, and
turning checks.

Considering the treacherous life that
most drow live, the zwy’il probably
has a large supply of enemies.

Unlike the other tests, subtlety is not
allowed. The zwy’il must bring every
resource at her disposal to the task of
wiping out her chosen enemy. The
destruction must be absolute, including
the elimination of the enemy’s immediate
family, household staff, and residence.

This test is extremely dangerous, not
only for the violence that is required,
but also for the wrath of the target’s
allies. The test begins when the zwy’il
sees the tiny spider that has appeared so
many times before. It shows itself at a
time when the zwy’il visibly sees the tar¬
get or in some other abstract way (for
example, spinning a web on the enemy’s
house banner). From that point on, the
target can never change.

Immunities: Immune to polymorphing,
petrification, energy drain, ability drain, ability
damage, mind-affecting effects, disease,
poison, stunning, paralysis, disintegration, death
effects, electricity, and cold.

Control Creatures (Drow): A proxy of Lolth
may attempt to dominate a drow once per day
(Will save, DC 16).

Immortal: A proxy of Lolth does not age,
nor does she need to eat, sleep, or breathe.

Divine Senses: A proxy of Lolth’s senses
extend to 1 mile. As a standard action, she can
sense anything up to 1 mile from the location
of a worshiper, shrine, or artifact dedicated to
Lolth. She can extend her senses to up to two
locations in this manner, and as a standard
action, a proxy of Lolth can block the senses
of deities of divine rank 1 or lower in a one
mile radius at up to two locations.

Portfolio Sense: A proxy of Lolth
automatically knows of any event that involves
one thousand or more drow.

Automatic Actions: A proxy of Lolth can
use the Knowledge (arcana) or Hide skill as a
free action, and she can perform 2 such free
actions per round.

Create Magic Items: A proxy of Lolth can
create any light or medium armor, simple or
martial weapons, items that create darkness,
divination items, and items that disguise the
user as long as the item’s price does not
exceed 4,500 gp.

Divine Aura: Each round, as a free action, a
proxy of lolth can choose to cause nearby
creatures to be dazed or shaken, or she can
grant allies a +4 morale bonus to attack rolls,
saves, and checks and grant foes a -4 morale
penalty to attack rolls, saves, and checks. This
supernatural effect is a 10-foot-radius
emanation. A Will save (DC 16) negates.

Grant Spells: Although empowered to
grant spells to those who pray to them,
proxies usually direct those prayers to the
deity they serve.

Spontaneous Casting: A proxy of Lolth can
spontaneously cast any cleric spell. This works

Once the target has been revealed,
the zwy’il must eventually attack her and
her household. This is usually done with
the help of the zwy’il’s minions and
troops. The zwy’il is forbidden to use a
third party to assassinate the target, and
she immediately fails if she does so-
Lolth demands that the zwy’il spill the
blood of her enemy directly. If the target
is killed, the zwy’il must continue the
rampage, looting, desecrating, and
destroying her foe’s home as well.

If the zwy’il launches an assault and
does not succeed in eliminating the tar¬
get, the test is considered a failure. If the
zwy’il is not killed during the attack, she
must contend with a rightfully angry
enemy. As in the Test of Betrayal, the
hunter becomes the hunted, but in addi¬
tion to gaining the ability to find the
zwy’il at will using discern location , the

like the cleric ability to spontaneously cast
cure spells.

Communication: A proxy of Lolth can speak
and understand any language, and she can
speak to any being within 1 mile. She can also
speak at any location within 1 mile of any
worshiper of Lolth.

Domain Powers: Cast chaos spells at +1
caster level; cast evil spells at +1 caster level;
smite i/day.

Spells Prepared (6/8/7/7/7/7/5/5/5/51
base DC = 15 + spell level): o -inflict minor
wounds (3), resistance (2), virtue; 1st -cause
fear, command (2), doom, endure elements,
entropic shield, protection from law*, random
action; 2nd -bulls strength, desecrate*, hold
person (2), inflict moderate wounds (2), silence;

3rd -bestow curse (2), blindness/deafness (2),
deeper darkness (2), magic circle against law*;

4th- chaos hammer*, dimensional anchor,
inflict critical wounds (3), poison (2); 5th- dispel
law* ethereal jaunt, flame strike, insect plague,
slay living (3), true seeing; 6th —blade barrier
(2), create undead*, greater dispelling (2); 7th-
destruction (3), greater restoration, word of
chaos*; 8th- antimagic field, cloak of chaos*,
discern location, earthquake (2); 9th —gate,
energy drain (3), summon monster IX*

*Domain spell. Deity: Lolth. Domains: Chaos
(cast evil spells at +1 caster level), Evil (cast
evil spells at +1 caster level).

Possessions: +4 ghost touch chaotic shocking
burst dagger, +4 shadow heavy fortification full
plate, ring of protection +5, cloak of resistance
+4, ring of evasion, cube of force.

^The choldrith is described in the Monster
Compendium: Monsters of Faerun. You do not
need that book to run the proxy of Lolth as its
powers and abilities are fully described here.

^The abilities of demigods and proxies are
more fully described in Deities and Demigods,
but you should be able to use the proxy of
Lolth with all the information presented here.

Note that all the proxy’s abilities but
spellcasting cannot be dispelled or suppressed,
and they do not go away in an antimagic field.

4o august 2oo2

zwy’il’s enemy gains the ability to
planeshift or teleport without error (as
though cast by a sorcerer of the
zwy’il’s level) to the location of the
zwy’il at will. Lolth revokes this ability
if the zwy’il’s enemy uses it for a pur¬
pose other than revenge, and should
the zwy’il succeed in defeating that
enemy, Lolth grants the abilities to a
different enemy of the zwy’il.

The Chwisasshra occurs after the
drow has gained enough experience to
advance to 17th level.

Chwilolth-The Test of Lolth

The zwy’il is now reaching the pinnacle
of her existence. She has overcome
incredible odds and proven that she
possesses the “best” traits that drow
admire: uncompromising will, unbeliev¬
able cruelty, and an utter sense of
superiority. One more test remains,
however-Chwilolth, or the Test of
Lolth. Having bested her enemies, the
zwy’il must face down a representative
of the Spider Goddess herself.

The test begins with visions. The
zwy’il has a persistent vision of Lolth
speaking to her. Lolth taunts, berates,

and belittles the zwy’il in as many ways
as possible, degrading her victories and
revealing her weaknesses. The visions
continue over the course of several
weeks. Deprived of sleep (or, more
accurately, the restful meditation that
all elves require), the zwy’il starts see¬
ing hallucinations. Visions of the Spider
Goddess fill every moment of her life.

The visions abruptly stop one day,
and the zwy’il now knows that she must
face Lolth. The next time that she is
alone, she hears the sound of skittering
claws behind her. When she turns, she
sees a monstrosity lurking before her-
a proxy of Lolth, complete with the
head of a beautiful drow maiden jutting
out from a repulsive spider body. She
states, “It is time,” before leaping in to
feast on the zwy’il’s body. See the
Proxy of Lolth sidebar for the proxy’s
statistics.

The zwy’il must fight for her life. She
can use any and all means available to
him, including weapons, magic items,
spells, and traps. Although drow are
taught that they must fight this battle
alone, only a fool would do so. Most
drow bring all the forces at their com¬

mand against the proxy, often sacrific¬
ing much of their power to bring down
the deadly divine being.

If the zwy’il defeats the proxy of
Lolth, she passes the test. The reward
for passing is greater than mere sur¬
vival. Zwy’il who pass the test are
allowed to advance beyond 20th level,
never to be tested by Lolth again. Drow
who reach 30th level are sometimes
called to become proxies of Lolth them¬
selves. They then have the opportunity
to defend their positions by eliminating
ambitious drow during future Chwiloths.
For information on advancing beyond
20th level, see the Epic Level Handbook.
For information on creating proxies, see
Deities and Demigods.

Otherwise, the proxy kills the zwy’il.
Zwy’il killed by the proxy cannot be
raised, reincarnated, or resurrected by
any means. The clerics of Lolth say that
the souls of zwy’il who fail the test are
taken back to Lolth and slowly con¬
sumed. The Chwilolth occurs when the
drow has gained enough experience to
advance to 19th or 20th level. ®

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AT THE TABLE:

Monster Tokens

New monsters keep encounters interest¬
ing and keep the players guessing, but
it’s hard to find miniatures or even mon¬
ster tokens for brand new monsters. We
couldn’t deside whether to provide mon¬
ster tokens or the great Cave of Pain
battlemat that came with this issue, so
you get both. Just head to the nearest
color photocopier and bedevil your play¬
ers with these threats from the
Underdark. These do-it-yourself tokens
include monsters from three of this
month’s articles, “The Punishments of
Lolth,” the Living Greyhawk Journal, and
“The Ashen Compact.”

The Dragon staff is always looking
for ways to build a more useful maga¬
zine, if you have comments on this, or
any of the other ideas in this issue,
chime in on the Dragon message boards
at www.wizards.com.

Permission granted to reproduce this
page for personal use only.

UMBER HULK MIND FLAYER SCIENTIST DROW DROW TROGLODYTYE

The drow have a well-deserved rep¬
utation as cold-blooded murderers,
torturers, and sadists. They delight
in seeing others in pain, including those
of their own race. Because of this fasci¬
nation with torment, the drow have
become experts in creating items, poi¬
sons, drugs, and weapons that inflict
excruciating pain, mind-blasting insanity,
or both.

Like any other race, the drow take
advantage of the resources available in
their surroundings. Mushrooms, moss,
algae, fungi, and the bizarre animal
species found in the Underdark serve as
the baseline for countless thousands of
odd and dangerous items and poisons.
Because of their close association with
their sinister goddess, Lolth, drow also
make extensive use of spiders and have
catalogued a dizzying array of ways to
take advantage of them.

Here are some specialized items that
might be found in the hands of the
drow. Players should remember that the
concepts of mercy, fairness, and honor
are as alien to the drow as the surface
dwellers that invade their Underdark
fortresses.

Alchemical Items

Although not normally known for their
alchemical skills, some drow have cre¬
ated items of note. In almost all cases,
these items make use of various ingre¬
dients found only in the blackness of
the Underdark.

Shriek Paste: The shrieker, a common
fungus found in the bowels of the
Underdark, is sometimes cultivated by
drow societies, creating a first line of
defense against intrusion around their
cities. In addition, drow alchemists

Alchemy Items

Item Creation DC

Cost

Shriek Paste 20

50 gp

Flashstone 20

30 gP

Blackwater 25

100 gp

harvest and render the fungus down to
a base substance capable of reproducing
the shrieker’s howl.

Shriek paste is an oily, smelly sub¬
stance with a slightly purplish color.
When smeared on a surface, it retains
its same consistency almost indefinitely.
When the paste is exposed to a light
source equivalent to torchlight or
greater, it rapidly crystallizes. During
this process, the paste makes a high-
pitched screeching noise, making it a
useful signaling device. The shriek is
loud and easy to hear (Listen DC -10,
modified as usual for distance, solid
barriers, and other environmental fac¬
tors.) This sound lasts for i round
before the paste dries up entirely and
is rendered inert.

Flashstone: Some houses of drow
have not laid eyes on a surface dweller
in many generations, so they have for¬
gotten that not everyone can see per¬
fectly well in the gloom of the
Underdark. Other clans have had to deal
with repeated incursions from above
and have come up with several ways to
deal with them.

The flashstone is a hard, shiny pellet
that glistens in light and glows slightly
under both normal vision and darkvi-
sion. It is the same size and shape as a
sling bullet, and it is used in a sling as
often as it is thrown. When a flashstone
strikes a hard surface, it vaporizes
instantly, releasing a blast of light (15-
foot-diameter circle). Creatures caught
in the blast must make Fortitude saves
(DC 16) or be blinded for 1 round. Once
the i-round blindness has passed, the
creature suffers a -2 penalty to Spot
and Search checks for one hour while
its eyes recover.

Some drow torturers enjoy using
flashstones in conjunction with conven¬
tional techniques, conditioning the victim
to equate bright light with pain.

Blackwater: The Underdark is filled
with dozens of lakes, rivers, and even
entire seas, which in turn are filled with
numerous aquatic species that have

never glimpsed the harsh light of the
sun. Kuo-toas, rogue bands of sahuagin,
lost tribes of sea elves, and other
strange and exotic races swim the black¬
ened waters. The drow despise any chal¬
lenge to their rule below the earth and
view these aquatic races as adversaries
to be decimated.

Long ago, a small city of drow began
to prosper along the banks of an
immense underground lake. However,
the lake also hosted a substantial kuo-
toan settlement. Clashes between the
drow and kuo-toas were common, with
the kuo-toas raiding the fragile ships
that the drow were using to cross the
lake. The attacks became more bold
when the kuo-toas realized that without
crossing the lake, the drow were
trapped-there were no other tunnels
leading out of the city.

Salvation for the drow came in the
form of a young alchemist who created
a vile concoction, which he dubbed
blackwater. When dumped into water,
blackwater immediately eliminates the
oxygen, suffocating most aquatic beings
that are caught in its area. The drow
“navy” commissioned the alchemist to
create as much of the substance as pos¬
sible. Barrel after barrel of blackwater
was dumped into the lake, which had the
desired effect of eliminating any kuo-
toas that dared to venture close to the
surface. Unfortunately, the poison also
eliminated most of the fish, crustaceans,
and other wildlife that the city was
dependent on for food. For a few des¬
perate months, the drow clung to sur¬
vival while ships went to other cities and
bartered for food.

For his efforts, the alchemist was
murdered in his sleep to ensure that the
knowledge of blackwater would not
spread beyond the city. However, this
plan failed, and soon other drow became
aware of the potent concoction.

A single vial of blackwater rapidly
affects a 10 foot by 10 foot cube of
water. Any aquatic creature that
breathes blackwater must make a

Poisons

Poison

Type

Initial

Damage

Secondary

Damage

Craft (Poison¬
making) DC

Cost

Chakar Root

Ingested DC 16

Paralysis*

2d6 Dex

75° gP

Ebon Fungus

Inhaled DC 15

1 Cha

2d6 Cha

5°°gP

Dessicator Poison

Contact DC 19

3d6 Con/

2.750 gp

* See poison description.

(id2 Con*)

(-)

Constitution check (DC 10) each round
or begin to drown (see Chapter 3:
Running the Game, the Drowning Rule,
in the Dungeon Masters Guide). The DC
for this check increases by 1 on each
subsequent round. The creature can also
try to “hold its breath” (as a creature
going underwater would normally do),
using the rules from the Dungeon
Masters Guide. Blackwater affects
creatures that can breathe underwater
due to a spell or effect, such as water
breathing ; but has no effect on crea¬
tures that can only breathe air.

Poison

The Underdark is host to numerous
species of plants, fungi, molds, and other
sources of terrible poisons. The drow
have identified several unique toxins that
are derived from these spores, mush¬
rooms, and animals.

The creation of poisons is an art
taught to almost every drow. Being
able to identify and use poisons is cru¬
cial in the murderous world of the
drow, and one who does not learn poi¬
son’s secrets is doomed to become a
victim to them.

Chakar Root: Chakar is a strange and
beautiful plant that produces fragrant
blooms and emits a glow visible only to
those using darkvision. While the plant is
admired for its unsettling beauty, the
roots of the plant have proven the most
prized part by drow assassins. Chakar
root has a light, pleasant taste, and it is
commonly mixed into the victims food.
When ingested, chakar causes a warm
and pleasant sensation that runs
throughout the entire body. However, if
the victim fails her Fortitude save (DC
16), she becomes paralyzed. This paraly¬
sis lasts for id3 hours. The root contin¬
ues to attack the body, and a minute
after its initial ingestion, the victim must
make a second save or suffer 2d 6 points
of Dexterity damage.

Ebon Fungus: Feared even by the
drow, ebon fungus is commonly found
near pools of water that are completely
devoid of life. Animals that stumble into
a patch of ebon fungus begin to
become withdrawn, lethargic, and disin¬
terested in the world around them. If
left unattended, the animal soon dies
from ennui, refusing to even seek food
or water. Drow collect this substance
and use it against enemies that they
want to see humiliated and withered
before being destroyed.

Ebon fungus attacks in two different
ways. First, creatures that inhale the
spores feel a loss of self-confidence and
worth, eventually causing a spiraling
depression. Second, the fungus spreads
throughout the victims body, covering
his skin with a fuzzy black substance.

Slaves usually collect this substance,
as few drow willingly expose themselves
to the dangers of this fungus. It is then
ground into a fine black powder.

Desiccator Poison: The result of a
successful use of the dessicator- a
gruesome torture device devised by
the drow (see below) - is a viscous
substance that contains the vital
essence of a sentient being. By combin¬
ing this essence with a mixture of mon¬
strous spider toxin, drow alchemists
have learned how to make extremely
deadly poisons that target specific
races. It requires an Alchemy check
(DC 20) instead of the normal Craft
(poisonmaking) skill check to create a
single vial of desiccator poison. Failure
indicates that the ingredients have been
wasted, necessitating another use of
the dessicator.

Dessicator poison is tailored for a
specific race. It is a contact poison (DC
19) that causes 3d6 initial Constitution
damage and 3d6 secondary
Constitution damage if used against a
member of the same race that was used
to make the desiccator poison (see the
dessicator description below). If the
poison comes into contact with a dif¬
ferent race, it is not nearly as effective
(id2 initial Constitution damage, no sec¬
ondary damage).

Drow assassins enjoy using this poison
when stalking specific prey. Although
expensive, drow delight in knowing that
the pain and torment of one victim was
used to cause the death of another.

Drugs

The drow have no compunctions about
the use, transport, or sale of drugs.

Some drow have even created financial
empires based on the sale of rare, diffi¬
cult to find drugs, catering to both sur¬
face dwellers and other drow. Drow
commonly feed drugs to their slaves,
lowering their willpower, improving their
capacity for work, or turning them into
drooling puppets that the drow can use
for some twisted pleasure.

For more information on drugs, see
Lords of Darkness or the upcoming
Book of Vile Darkness.

Fezrah (“Spiderblind”)

Description: This pitch-black fungus has
numerous fuzzy white spots and pro¬
duces an odor that is repulsive to any
sort of vermin, particularly spiders.
When these spore-filled spots are har¬
vested and ingested, the user produces
a scent that vermin cannot stand.

Type: Ingested DC 9.

Initial Effect: None.

Secondary Effect: The user exudes a
scent that is repulsive to vermin of any
type (including monstrous). Vermin must
make a Fortitude save (DC 11) to move
within 5 feet of the user. If the user
moves within 5 feet of vermin, those
vermin must make a Fortitude save (DC
11) or back away at least 5 feet on their
next action. This effect lasts for 1 hour.

Price: 50 gp

Side Effects: The user becomes
mildly paranoid, and his attitude
toward other creatures can never
improve past indifferent (see NPC
Attitudes, Chapter 5: Campaigns in the
Dungeon Master's Guide).

Overdose: If more than a single dose
is taken in a 24-hour period, fezrah acts
as a poison-DC 11, initial and secondary
damage id2 Strength.

Addiction: Low.

Chiff

Description: This mineral is found in
tiny deposits deep in the Underdark,
commonly near iron and silver. It is a
chalky white substance with a dis¬
tinctly metallic tang when smelled.

Chiff grants the user a sense of supe¬
riority and a desire to see blood
spilled. The gladiator-slaves of the
drow commonly use it as well as
drow who know they will be going
into battle.

Type: Inhaled DC 17.

Initial Effect: Chiff fills the user with
a sense of invulnerability, confidence,
and bloodlust. The user gains the abil¬
ity to Rage (as the barbarian class
ability) once during the duration of the
drug (or to rage one additional time if
the user already has the rage ability).
The effects last for id3 hours.

Secondary Effect: Chiff is a potent
stimulant, and the user gains a tempo¬
rary +2 alchemical bonus to her
Dexterity.

Price: 300 gp

Side Effects: When the secondary
effect ends, the user is extremely
lethargic and uncaring. The user

46 august 2oo2

Black

Widow

SPIDER MASKS

suffers a -6 penalty to Dexterity and
becomes fatigued.

Overdose: If more than one dose of
chiff is taken in a 24-hour period, the
user suffers id4 points of Wisdom dam¬
age and acts as if under the effect of a
confusion spell for 2d4 minutes. Using it
three or more times within a 24 hour
period causes 2d4 points of Wisdom
damage and the user is confused as the
spell confusion for 2d4 hours.

Addiction: High.

Magic Items

Drow make extensive use of magic items
of all kinds, and only the lowliest ser¬
vants or warriors do not own at least
one magic item. Listed here are some of
the bizarre and dangerous magic items
that the drow have created for their
perverted goals.

Spider Masks

Found only in the possession of high-
ranking clerics of Lolth, these terrible
masks grant great power, but they
extract a terrible price upon the wearer.
Once donned, the mask fuses itself to
the wearers face and cannot be
removed short of use of a limited wish,
wish, or miracle . Even if the mask is suc¬
cessfully removed in this manner, the
person must make a Fortitude save (DC
25) or be instantly killed by the fury of
Lolth. Seeing such a mask, most drow
immediately treat the wearer with a
great deal of respect. There are three
known types of masks:

Brown Recluse: This dull brown mask
completely covers the wearers head,
with only eight black eyes and two huge
hairy fangs breaking the surface. The
wearer gains the following abilities:

• +4 profane bonus to Spot and
Listen checks.

• Jump and spider climb at will.

• The wearer gains the ability to make
a single bite attack each round. This bite

deals id6 damage and injects a terrible (black widow); Market Price: 37,840 gp
poison that begins to rot the wearers (brown recluse), 115,440 gp (phase spi-
flesh. Fortitude save (DC 18); 2d6 initial der), 56,150 gp (black widow); Cost to
and secondary Constitution damage. Create: 18,920 gp + 1,513 XP (brown

Phase Spider: This mask resembles recluse), 57,720 gp + 6,217 XP (phase
that of a phase spider: white and blue, spider), 28,075 2P + 2»24^ XP (black

with eight silvery white eyes. The widow); Weight:-,

wearer gains the following abilities:

• +2 profane bonus to Spot, Search, Desiccator

and Listen checks. First created by the drow of House

• The wearer gains the ability to make Relyerrin, the desiccator has since

a single bite attack each round. This bite been duplicated by other drow necro-

deals id6 damage and poison. Fortitude mancers. It is an item that mixes tor-
save (DC 13); id6 initial and secondary ture, necromancy, and alchemy into
Constitution damage. one terrible whole.

• As a move-equivalent action, the The desiccator is a large iron table,

wearer can shift from the Ethereal Plane and it quite obviously looks like a torture

to the Material Plane. Shifting back to device. There are four solid iron bands
the Ethereal Plane also takes a move- where the victims arms and legs can be
equivalent action. The ability is otherwise restrained (break DC 30, Escape Artist
identical to the ethereal jaunt spell as DC 35). The bands are flexible, and the
cast by a gth-level cleric. The wearer table can hold any creature of size Tiny
can shift between the planes any number to size Large. After a creature has been
of times per day. restrained for a full round, the desicca-

B/ack Widow: This mask is midnight- tor begins emitting hypnotic waves to
black, with the distinctive red hourglass pacify the victim. Victims must make a

shape of the black widow spider located Will save (DC 23) each round or be

on the forehead. Unlike the other masks affected by a dominate monster effect,
listed here, the wearers mouth is visible, Once affected by the dominate monster

although it looks like he possesses huge, ability, the victim ceases to struggle,

spider-like fangs. Eight small spider eyes Starting on the second round, the
are scattered evenly on the masks sur- desiccator begins to suck out the life

face. The wearer gains the following force and vital fluids of the victim,

abilities: Every 10 minutes, the victim must make

• +4 profane bonus to Listen, Move a Will save (DC 15) or suffer 1 point

Silently, Search, and Spot checks. each of Constitution and Charisma drain.

• Cause fear at will as if cast by a The victim begins to shrivel and dry out

i5th-level sorcerer. during the process, and the bands auto-

• The wearer gains the ability to make matically tighten to prevent him from

a single bite attack each round. This bite sliding free from the restraints,
deals id8 damage and poison. Fortitude The victims essence is collected

save (DC 18); 3d6 initial and secondary through a series of tubes and vials,

Constitution damage. which is then used to create a noxious

Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: toxin called desiccator poison. This poi-

Craft Wondrous Item, jump, poison son is dangerous to most creatures, but

(brown recluse); Craft Wondrous Item, it is especially effective against the same

ethereal jaunt, poison (phase spider); race that the essence was derived from.

Craft Wondrous Item, cause fear, poison The victim must be drained to death to

Disiccator

subject proved too difficult to break
through conventional methods, and
they remain convinced that the ability
was rarely used.

Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft
Wondrous Item, zone of truth; Market
Price: 8,640 gp; Cost to Create: 4,320
gp + 346 XP; Market Price: 8,640 gp.

MAGIC WEAPONS AND ARMOR

The drow are well known for their use
of crossbows (especially hand cross¬
bows) as well as light and fast weapons.
They also enjoy causing pain, and some
drow forgo weapons that kill immediately
for ones that draw out the agony of
their opponents.

Bolt of Discord

Delighting in sowing chaos among their
enemies, the drow have created
weapons that disrupt and confuse,
thereby prolonging the conflict. A bolt of
discord is a +1 crossbow bolt covered in
bizarre sigils that seem to move on their
own accord. Upon impact, the bolt
releases a confusion spell with a 15-foot
radius, as if cast by a i3th-level wizard
(Will save DC 16 to resist). In addition, if
a creature is directly struck by the bolt
of discord, it is affected by an insanity
spell as if cast by a i3th-level wizard
(Will save DC 20 to resist).

Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: Craft
Magic Arms and Armor, confusion,
insanity; Market Price: 3250 gp; Cost to
Create: 1625 gp + 130 XP; Weight: -.

Lash of Torment

This whip is embedded with cruel spikes
of iron and glass, effectively making it a
whip-dagger. (Whip daggers are exotic
weapons from Sword and Fist. They cost
25 gp, deal id6 points of slashing dam¬
age, score a critical on a 19-20, and

Rod of
tentacles

weigh 3 pounds. They are identical to
whips in all other respects.) It is usually
found in the possession of drow slavers
or torturers. In the hands of a non-
drow, the lash of torment acts merely
as a +1 whip dagger. In addition, every
time that the non-drow wielder misses,
the lash of torment curls back and
strikes the wielder. This curse has been
placed on the weapon to prevent slaves
from taking it up against their masters.
Some drow slavers leave the lash of
torment in a place where a slave can
find it, watching with delight as the
slave suffers the consequences of a
missed strike.

In the hands of a drow, the lash of
torment functions as a +3 wounding
whip dagger. On a critical hit, the lash of
torment also causes tremendous pain.

The victim suffers wracking pains,
resulting in a -2 penalty to Dexterity and
a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, skill
checks, and ability checks. A Fortitude
save (DC 18) negates this effect. Both
effects last idio minutes, and any addi¬
tional hits from a lash of torment during
this time have no further effect on the
victim beyond the normal damage
inflicted.

Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites:

Craft Magic Arms and Armor, mor-
denkainens sword, symbol; Market
Price: 98,325; Cost to Create: 49,162 +
3.933 XP.

Rod of Tentacles

This disturbing looking rod looks as
though it is made out of a coiled mass of
tentacles. It is warm and rubbery to the
touch and wiggles slightly when held. If
used in melee combat, the rod of tenta¬
cles acts as a +1 heavy mace.

The rod of tentacles allows the wielder
to cast evards black tentacles up to

produce enough useful
essence. See desiccator
poison above.

Creatures that are immune to
are immune to dessicator poison,
they can still be affected by the dessica¬
tor s draining effects unless they are
somehow immune to Charisma and
Constitution damage.

Caster Level: 17th; Prerequisites: Craft
Wondrous Item, dominate monster, hor¬
rid wilting; Market Price: 314,000 gp;
Cost to Create: 153,000 gp + 12,240 XP;
Weight: 200 lbs.

Z’henra’s Tools

Z’henra was a drow torturer whose skill
reached legendary proportions. She
specialized in the extraction of informa¬
tion from mind flayers, considering
them the most challenging of races to
break. Over time, she created a series
of magical implements of torture to
help her crack through the most diffi¬
cult wills.

The kit contains hooks, scalpels,
barbs, razor-sharp tongs, and other
sinister looking items, all of which are
made of polished silver. The tools have
an unusual activation: They must be
placed one by one in front of the vic¬
tim who has to be able to see them.
After all of the tools have been placed,
the torturer is then free to pick them
up and use them on the victim.
Z’henra’s tools grant a +10 profane
bonus to Intimidate checks during the
course of the torture session. Once
per day, the tools can generate a zone
of truth as if cast by a i2th-level
cleric. Curiously, this ability can only
be activated after one full hour of tor¬
ture with the tools has been per¬
formed. Sages speculate that Z’henra
built in this safeguard in case the

Tools

48 august 2oo2

Lash of
Torment

If the tentacle beast is killed, it imme¬
diately reverts back into the rod form
and cannot be used for a full 24 hours.

If the tentacle beast is destroyed through
use of a disintegrate, limited wish, mira¬
cle, or wish spell, the rod is completely
destroyed.

Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites:

Craft Rod, animate object, evards black
tentacles; Market Price: 86,000 gp; Cost
to Create: 43,000 gp + 3440 XP;

Weight: 12 lbs.

NON-MAGIC WEAPONS
AND ARMOR

Drow rely on slaves to produce most of
their weapons and armor, but a few
inventive drow perfect weapons too
valuable to leave in the hands of slaves
or simple laborers. These weapons and
armor, like all secrets of the drow, rarely
make their way into the hands of other
races, but some have seen enough regu¬
lar use to be recognizable by most expe¬
rienced adventurers.

Shatter Bolt

This beautiful crossbow bolt is crafted
entirely from a specialized form of glass.
It has a long tip that is more slender
than the rest of the shaft. Upon striking
a target, it shatters into razor sharp sliv¬
ers that cause tremendous amounts of
pain, increasing the critical increment to
18-20/X3. Shatter bolts are available for
both normal sized (light and heavy)
crossbows and hand crossbows.

Shatter bolts are extremely delicate,
however, and they are easily destroyed
by intense jostling, such as what occurs
in melee combat. Any time that a person
holding shatter bolts (held, in a crossbow
or in a quiver) is grappled, tripped, or
takes 10 or more points of damage from
a single strike, there is a 50% chance

three times a day as if cast by a 15th-
level wizard. Once per day, the rod
can be turned into a bizarre creature
that follows the commands of the
wielder. When hurled to the ground
and a command word is spoken, the
rod turns into a mass of writhing,
slimy tentacles. It remains in this form
for a number of rounds equal to the
wielder’s total class level. It has the
following statistics and abilities:

Tentacle Beast: CR Large con¬
struct; HD 8dio; hp 44; Init +2; Spd 20
ft., climb 20 ft.; AC 18 (touch 11, flat-
footed 16); Atk +10 melee (id6+ 5, 8 ten¬
tacle rakes); Face/reach 10 ft. by 10
ft./io ft.; SA Constrict; improved grab;
SQ Construct traits, damage reduction
10/+1; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will
+3; Str 20, Dex 15, Con-, Int— , Wis 12,
Cha 3.

Constrict (Ex): A tentacle beast deals
2d8+5 points of damage with a suc¬
cessful grapple check against Medium-
size or smaller creatures.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this abil¬
ity, the tentacle beast must hit a
Medium-size or smaller opponent with
a tentacle rake attack. If it gets a hold,
it can constrict.

Construct Traits: Immune to mind-
influencing effects (charms, compulsions,
phantasms, patterns, and morale effects),
and to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning,
disease, death effects, necromantic
effects, and any effect that requires a
Fortitude save unless it also works on
objects; cannot heal damage; not subject
to critical hits, subdual damage, ability
damage, ability drain, or energy drain;
not at risk of death from massive dam¬
age, but destroyed when reduced to o
hit points or less; cannot be raised or
resurrected; darkvision 60 ft.

Silk Armor

that all the shatter bolts will break and
be destroyed. A shatter spell automati¬
cally destroys any shatter bolts that are
caught in its area of effect. Unlike nor¬
mal bolts, shatter bolts are always
destroyed if they miss their target.
Because of this, most wielders of shatter
bolts try to stay out of melee.

Because of their extremely fragile
structure, shatter bolts cannot be the
target of the following spells: magic
weapon, keen edge, and greater magic
weapon.

Market Price: 75 gp each; Weight: 1
lb. (10 bolts).

Silk Armor

Crafted by highly trained artisans who
weave this armor from the silk of mon¬
strous spiders, silk armor is a highly
prized form of protection favored by
drow who want to look good without
weighing themselves down. Silk armor
looks more like a medium-weight jerkin
than regular armor, but is incredibly
tough and resilient.

Silk armor is light armor. This armor
provides a +3 armor bonus and has a
+8 maximum Dexterity bonus. The
armor has an arcane spell failure chance
of 5% and a -1 armor check penalty.

Silk armor is naturally accepting of
enhancements. Although the enhance¬
ment’s cost is unaffected, the time it
takes to add the enhancement to the
armor is reduced by half. In addition,
non-masterwork silk armor can be
enhanced with magic.

Market Price: 5,000 gp;

Weight: 15 lbs. &

5o august 2oo2

CRUSADES OF THE

ASHEN
COMPACT

VS. DROW

The Ashen Compact is a secret
cabal of subterranean races that
recruit and train surface adventur¬
ers to make war against the drow. They
call their training grounds “academies,”
and they advertise themselves in the
surface world as agents of a great cru¬
sade against evil, but their motives are
far from pure.

The Compact was formed years ago,
when the drow noble house of lldorno
took power in its native city and began a
campaign of systematic conquest of the
surrounding races. Creatures who had
been at each others throats for eons
suddenly found themselves shoulder to
shoulder as they fled to safety. As the
survivors of the mind flayer, duergar,
derro, and aboleth nations came
together in the ash and ruins of their
former cities, they met for the first time
in peaceful negotiations.

No single nation was strong enough to
face the drow alone. Any two nations
could join forces to crush the drow, but

by Jim Bishop • ill

that would mean leaving themselves
undefended and open to attacks from
the others. They could not agree on how
to divide forces, and so could not agree
to a four-way alliance. The beaten races
realized that they needed to go outside
their borders for help-to the great
heroes of the surface world. As they
finalized their plans, they made an oath
of loyalty to each other. Thus the Ashen
Compact was born.

Within days, the first agents of the
Ashen Compact stole to the surface. A
dozen mind flayers, derro, and duergar
warriors traveled at night under magical
protections and began their reconnais¬
sance of local settlements. With the
duergar and derro supplying muscle,
and the mind flayers able to create loyal
subjects, they quickly formed a base of
power in the catacombs under an aban¬
doned temple, while establishing a front
of brainwashed followers in the ruins
above. The teams puppets insinuated
themselves into the local community,

strated by Jonathan Wayshak

spreading word that they required
heroes for a crusade against the hated
dark elves.

THE FIRST STUDENTS

The news spread quickly, and before
long the usual crowd of malcontents,
riffraff, and adventurers gathered in
the moss-covered churchyard to take
the first solemn oath against their new
foe. Many races answered the call,
including a large number of elves, all
of them raised on tales of dark elf
treachery and villainy.

The group was split into three differ¬
ent divisions according to the students’
skills, and training began in earnest.

Those skilled in the art of fighting began
their schooling with ancient treatises on
drow tactics, anatomy, and psychology.
Once these subjects were mastered,
their duergar instructors-disguised as
deep dwarves-put them through months
of grueling drills in the total darkness of
the catacombs.

FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN

Even if drow don’t exist in
your campaign, you can still
use many elements of this
article. Here are some sug¬
gestions to get you started.

• You can use the back¬
ground story of the Ashen
Compact’s creation as an
interesting plot hook. In this
case, the agents might be
fighting another evil race that
is prevalent in your campaign,
or perhaps their crusade is
against a tribe of good
dwarves. Your PCs might be
recruited into a Compact
academy, or some concerned
parents might ask the PCs for
help in learning what hap¬
pened to their children after
they joined the local academy.

• The NPC agents pre¬
sented in this article don’t
have to be connected in any
way. You can simply use the
monsters as interesting NPCs
or enemies that the player
characters encounter.

• Use the prestige classes
presented in this article to
make other interesting NPCs.
If drow don’t play a signifi¬
cant role in your campaign,
simply tweak the classes to
better fit your world. For
example, you can swap the
drow sign language ability of
the deep avenger and
gloomblade prestige classes
with some other language.

Members with a more larcenous bent were
taken to the ruined bell tower, where the maze
of shattered beams and masonry accustomed
them to the conditions of deep caverns. These
students studied under a trio of derro, whose
rasping voices came from behind a screen,
teaching how to listen to the earth and strike
from ambush.

Meanwhile, a solitary aboleth had been fer¬
ried up through the dark tunnels and secreted
in the old temples cistern. Here the spellcasters
of the group were secretly subjected to hyp¬
notic suggestion, sensory deprivation, and psy¬
chic surgery to strengthen their minds.
Eventually, the more exceptional spellcasters
were fused with the ancient creatures alien
consciousness, gaining supernatural perception
at the expense of their normal eyesight.

The First Crusade

Within a year, the ragged volunteers were
forged into an expert fighting force. Their old
skills and ways of life were forgotten, replaced
with a deadly focus on fighting dark elves in
their pitch-black homes.

The Ashen Compact agents equipped their
forces, took them deep into the earth, and set
them loose on the guard towers and keeps of
the house lldorno drow. Within hours the drow
defenses were shattered, and they retreated to
deeper tunnels. Over the following weeks, the
dark elves sent waves of elite troops at the
invaders, but to no avail. Before a month
passed, house lldorno was nothing but a mem¬
ory, and with it went all hopes of drow con¬
quest in the region.

The creators of the Ashen Compact met just
once more, in the weeks following this decisive
victory. The representatives met in comfort this
time, but the mood was no lighter. Each envoy
committed his nations people and resources to
more academies and fixed their targets for the
next assaults. Finally, they agreed that the
Compact would never meet again; the risk of
discovery by drow forces was too great. Every
academy would operate as an independent cell
on the surface world and seek the destruction
of the dark elf nation.

THE ASHEN COMPACT
IN A D&D GAME

The Academies: Founding and Operations

Academies are completely independent from
any central body, thus the DM may place an
academy almost anywhere in his campaign
world. A typical academy is located no more
than 30 miles from the nearest major cave
entrance. The agents’ pattern is to occupy an
existing structure, usually an abandoned one
that has been ravaged by time.

Most often, Compact operations are set up in
the ruins of temples and monasteries. These
buildings are usually designed to accommodate
large groups, and they have the additional
advantage of having been built to foster privacy
for those within their walls. Best of all, these
buildings carry the seal of faith and help to sell
the surrounding communities on the academy’s
values and sincerity.

Fortresses are abandoned far less frequently
than religious buildings, but their strong con¬
struction and strategic placement make them
almost as desirable. In the absence of a fortified
structure, Compact agents work with whatever
is at hand and are not above setting up their
academies in a farmhouse, winery, river barge,
and even-if the reports are true-in the walls of
a ruined dam.

Academies are founded with no warning,
springing up in a few days before local authori¬
ties can ask too many questions. Major repairs
and new construction wait for the first crop of
students, and these sites often change dramati¬
cally over the course of a few years.

When a suitable site is located, slaves and
duergar work to clean it out, while mind flayer
“missionaries” move through the landscape
spreading word among the locals. Mind flayers
are nothing if not cunning, and they use their
guile to every advantage as they seed the locals
with rumors, omens, and portentous “dreams”
to support their crusade.

Once the space is ready, the local authorities
are summoned to the academy for its opening.
Here the Compact agents exert all their influ¬
ence, including psionic and magic domination, to
get community leaders on their side. If they are
even moderately successful, word spreads
quickly, and soon the academy is deluged with
applicants. All are accepted, but only a select
few are trained for combat. Most serve the cru¬
sade as menial laborers and craftsmen, or as
food for the ravenous “instructors.”

Training

Instruction has changed little since the days of
the first academy. Duergar still instruct the war¬
riors in blind fighting and the ways of dark
elves; derro savants pass on secrets of ambush
to their thralls and teach them how to read the
stone and walk among spiders with no danger;
and the aboleth and mind flayers perform their
blasphemous surgery on spellcaster applicants.

Several advancements in spell research and
alchemy have been made since the first cru¬
sade, and these new alchemical items, spells, and
magic weapons are now a part of the curricu¬
lum in every academy.

The Crusade

The credo and purpose of these academies is

54 august 2oo2

“holy war.” Toward this end, each academy has
a drow city or outpost as its target and a quota
of soldiers to fill if they hope to succeed in their
goal. The entire process, from founding an
academy to embarking on a crusade, takes at
least one year, sometimes two.

When the time is right, the crusaders are
gathered and armed with magic and alchemical
items. They are treated to a stirring send-off
and led into the nearest dark cavern toward
their enemy. Only a few Compact agents
accompany these forces; usually a few duer-
gar scouts and an invisible mind flayer lead
the crusaders to ensure they remain true to
their cause.

When the crusaders reach their target, the
Compact agents hang back and observe the
battle, eventually falling back to report to the
academy. If the academy students are victori¬
ous, they return as heroes and begin training
for their next mission. If they break and flee,
they are taken captive at the surface and
eaten during the long months while new stu¬
dents are recruited.

Caravans

Ashen Compact agents travel across country
for only two reasons: They have been sent
out to found a new academy or they have
been uncovered by local authorities and are
fleeing to a new safe haven. In either case,
their disguise is paramount.

On casual inspection, a Compact caravan
appears to be a traveling crew of deep dwarf
smiths. The duergar fighters who drive the
teams are magically disguised and often carry
dwarf-crafted items as cover. Lurking inside
the canvas-shielded wagons is a single derro
savant with crossbow at the ready, a pair of
mind flayer missionaries who telepathically
scan all visitors as a matter of course, and
a single aboleth hierophant floating in its
hidden tank, generating illusions as the situa¬
tion demands.

Caravan Encounters: If encountered on the
road, the duergar do their best to come
across as gruff and ordinary deep dwarves
traveling from their home to sell wares. They
have dwarven goods to sell, but these are
just spoils of ancient war, and they can be
identified as such by bardic lore and the leg¬
end lore spell. Even if provoked, the caravan
takes pains to avoid revealing its true nature.
Only when attacked does the full capacity of
a Compact caravan become known. Typically,
the aboleth hierophant creates scores of illu¬
sionary attackers, while the mind flayers
emerge from hiding and mind blast their
attackers. Any who are stunned by the mind
flayers’ opening attack are then subjected to
their horrific extract ability. The caravan’s

derro savant attempts to skulk around the
rear, casting spells and making sneak attacks
when possible.

Ashen Compact NPCs

Listed below are the complete statistics for a
typical group of Compact agents sent out to
found a new academy. Each group usually
includes two duergar toughs, two derro
savants, one mind flayer, and one aboleth,
although additional agents might be added to
the group if the area of a new potential acad¬
emy is densely populated.

Duergar Tough, Male Duergar Ftr3: CR 3;
Medium-size humanoid; HD 3dio+6; hp 21; Init
+2; Spd 20 ft.; AC 18 (touch 14, flat-footed 16);
Atk +7 melee (id8/id6, masterwork dwarven
urgrosh); SA Spell-like abilities; SQ Duergar
traits; AL LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +3; Str 16,
Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 4.

Skills: Climb +9, Jump +9, Listen +5, Move
Silently +6, Spot +5; Feats: Alertness, Blind-
Fight, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (dwarven
urgrosh), Power Attack.

Possessions: Masterwork dwarven urgrosh, +1
masterwork breastplate , 2 potions of alter self.

Derro Savant, Rog2/Sor5: CR 7; Medium-
size humanoid; HD 2d6+5d4; hp 22; Init +1; Spd
20 ft.; AC 11; Atk +2 melee (id6-i, short sword),
+6 ranged (id8+i, +1 repeating crossbow)', SQ
Derro traits; AL CE; SV Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +3;
Str 8, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 14.

Skills: Appraise +8, Balance +6, Bluff +7,

Climb +4, Concentration +8, Diplomacy +7,
Disable Device +8, Escape Artist +6, Hide +6,
Intuit Direction +4, Knowledge (arcana) +11,

Listen +4, Spellcraft +11, Use Rope +6; Feats:
Blind-Fight, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (repeat¬
ing crossbow), Point Blank Shot, Silent Spell.

Spells Known (Sor 6/ 7/ 5; base DC = 12 +
spell level): o- dancing lights, detect magic,
detect poison, flare, prestidigitation, read magic;
1st— mage armor, magic missile, spider climb,
ventriloquism; 2nd— cats grace, whispering wind.

Possessions: +1 repeating crossbow, short
sword, 2 flasks each of acid and alchemist’s fire,
2 potions of cure serious wounds, 2 potions of
misdirection, 2 potions of detect thoughts, wand
of charm person (35 charges).

Mind Flayer Missionary, Clri: CR 9; Medium-
size aberration; HD 8d8+8; id8+i; hp 48; Init +6;
Spd 30 ft.; AC 19 (touch 14, flat-footed 17); Atk
+8 melee (id4+i, 4 tentacles); SA Mind blast,
improved grab, extract, psionics; SQ SR 25,
telepathy; AL LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +11;

Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 19, Wis 17, Cha 17.

Skills: Bluff +8, Concentration +12, Hide +8,
Intimidate +10, Knowledge (arcana) +9,

Knowledge (religion) +9, Listen +8, Move
Silently +7, Spellcraft +8, Spot +10; Feats:
Alertness, Combat Casting, Dodge, Expertise,

FOR YOUR CHARACTER

There are many elements of
this article that can be useful
to player characters.

• Consider using this arti¬
cle to provide a background
for your character. Perhaps
she was recruited into a
Compact academy and
escaped within an inch of
her life when she realized
she was a pawn for other
evil creatures. Maybe a
family member, such as a
brother, was recruited into
the academy and never
heard from again. Now she’s
determined to learn what
happened to her sibling.

• Ask your DM if you can
use one of the prestige
classes presented in this arti¬
cle. If drow aren’t prevalent
in her campaign, she might
consider changing the drow-
specific abilities to something
more useful. For instance,
your dwarf PC might be a
gloomblade-a soldier trained
to fight his clans hated
enemy, the duergar.

• This article presents a
number of new game ele¬
ments. If you are interested in
the magical or alchemical
items presented here, ask
your DM if she’ll allow them
in her campaign. Perhaps you
and your fellow adventurers
will stumble across some of
these treasures after explor¬
ing the ruins of what seems
to have been an old academy
of some sort . . .

Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
(tentacle).

Spells Prepared (3/3, base DC = 13 +
spell level) o- detect magic, purify food
and water, read magic; 1st -cause fear *
death watch, doom.

*Domain Spell. Domains: Death (death
touch i/day), Destruction (smite i/day).

Possessions: Ring of protection +, 2 ,
bracers of armor +2.

Aboleth Hierophant, III2: CR 10; Huge
aberration (aquatic); HD 8d8+4o;

284+10; hp 91; Init +1; Spd 10 ft., swim 60
ft.; AC 16 (touch 9, flat-footed 15); Atk
+13 melee (id6+g and transformation, 4
tentacles); SA Transformation, psionics,
enslave; SQ Mucus cloud; AL LE; SV
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +14; Str 26, Dex 12,
Con 20, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 17.

Skills: Alchemy +6, Concentration +19,
Knowledge (arcana) +9, Listen +12,
Spellcraft +8, Spot +12; Feats: Alertness,
Combat Casting, Iron Will, Scribe Scroll.

Spells Prepared (4/ 3; base DC = 12 +
spell level): o- detect magic (x2), pres¬
tidigitation (x2); 1st -mage armor,
obscuring mist, Nystufs undetectable
aura.

Spellbook : o— all; 1st -change self,
mage armor, magic missile, Nystufs
undetectable aura * obscuring mist,
true strike.

^Specialization spell. School: Illusion.

Possessions: Crystal ball.

NEW PRESTIGE CLASSES

The deep avenger, gloomblade, and gray
sage are new prestige classes available
to characters who train in an Ashen
Compact academy.

Deep Avenger

The deep avenger is a ruthless hunter
in the subterranean world, an agent of
vengeance from the dawn of elven
history. Deep avengers form the body
of a Compact crusade and are versa¬
tile enough to occupy almost any bat¬
tlefield niche.

The Compact usually reserves this
martial training for elves, harnessing the
ancient hatred they hold for their dark
kin, however, members of other races
may be allowed to train as martial sol¬
diers if they’ve recently lost a loved one
to the drow. A deep avenger is a terrible
opponent, able to find and destroy his
chosen enemy with fierce precision.

Barbarians, fighters, paladins, and
rangers make strong deep avengers who
are eager to fight on the front lines.

Clerics and druids add a potent mix of
divine magic to the class, and they
often fight in the crusades as battlefield
healers and diviners. Wizards and sor¬
cerers do not usually have the martial
training to meet the class requirements,
but multiclass fighters/wizards are far
from rare and often serve as officers
in the crusades.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of
the deep avenger prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Deep avengers are proficient with all
simple and martial weapons, all armor,
and shields.

Brutal Strike (Ex): Deep avengers
receive instruction on drow physiology,
learning the race’s vital points, major
arteries, and pain centers, thus allowing
them to fight the drow with ruthless effi¬
ciency. On his turn, a deep avenger may
add +1 to either one attack roll or one
damage roll, but not both. He must
declare where the bonus applies at the
start of his action. For every three lev¬
els gained, this bonus increases by +1.

Drow Sign Language (Ex): Before they
go on crusade, deep avengers learn the
silent language of their prey. Using these
hand signals, a team of Compact cru¬
saders can communicate silently at dis¬
tances of up to 120 feet as long as they
can see each other. Note that a deep
avenger learns this language without
spending skill points.

Darkvision (Ex): After long months of
training in total darkness, the eyes of
deep avengers are subjected to arcane
alchemical treatments that grant them
darkvision to a range of 60 feet. At 7th
level, a deep avenger’s darkvision
improves to 120 feet.

See the Light (Sp): At 3rd level, the
deep avenger gains the ability to cast
either daylight or sunbeam once per day

as a spell-like ability, chosen at the time
of casting. These abilities are as the
spells cast by a loth-level sorcerer
(save DC 10 + Charisma modifier +
spell level). At 6th and 9th level, the
deep avenger gains one additional use
of this ability per day.

Rage (Ex): At 5th level, a deep
avenger can fly into a rage, gaining phe¬
nomenal strength and durability but
becoming reckless and less able to
defend himself. He temporarily gains a
+4 bonus to Strength and Constitution,
and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves,
but suffers a -2 penalty to AC. The rage
lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3
+ the character’s (newly improved)
Constitution modifier.

The deep avenger can enter a rage
once per day at 5th level and twice per

DEEP AVENGER Requirements

To qualify to become a deep avenger,
a character must fulfill all of the fol¬
lowing criteria.

Base Attack Bonus: +7.

Feats: Blind-Fight, Power Attack.
Special: Must speak
Undercommon.

Special: A deep avenger must have
lost a loved one to drow in the last 5
years.

DEEP AVENGER Class Skills

The deep avenger’s class skills (and
the key ability for each skill) are:

Str: Climb, Jump, Swim.

Dex: -
Con: -

Int: Craft (any).

Wis: Intuit Direction.

Cha: Handle Animal, Ride.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int
modifier.

DEEP AVENGER ADVANCEMENT

Class

Base

Fort.

Ref.

Will

Level

Attack Bonus

Save

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

+ 4

5th

6th

7th

8th

grh

10th

+10

Special

Brutal strike +1, drow sign language
Darkvision 60 ft.

See the light \ /day

Brutal strike +2

Rage i/day

See the light 2/ day

Brutal strike +3, darkvision 120 ft.

Resist poison

See the light 3/day

Rage 2/day, brutal strike +4

56 august 2oo2

GLOOMBLADE Requirements

To qualify to become a gloomblade, a
character must fulfill all of the follow¬
ing criteria.

Move Silently: 10 ranks.

Hide: 10 ranks.

Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight.
Special: Must speak
Undercommon.

GLOOMBLADE Class Skills

The gloomblades class skills (and the
key ability for each skill) are:

Str: Climb, Jump, Swim.

Dex: Balance, Escape Artist, Hide,
Move Silently, Open Lock, Pick
Pocket, Tumble, Use Rope.

Con: -

Int: Appraise, Craft (any), Disable
Device, Forgery, Search.

Wis: Innuendo, Intuit Direction,
Listen, Sense Motive, Spot.

Cha: Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise,
Gather Information, Intimidate, Use
Magic Device.

Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int
modifier.

day at 10th level. If he already has the
rage ability from another class, the
bonuses do not stack, but he gains
additional uses of this ability at 5th
and 10th level.

Resist Poison (Ex): Deep avengers are
exposed to poisons in controlled doses,
thereby building up a stronger resist¬
ance to them. At 8th level, a deep
avenger gain a +4 bonus on Fortitude
saving throws against poison.

Gloomblade

Gloomblades serve in the Compact cru¬
sades as scouts and infiltrators. Elite
gloomblades range far ahead of the main
force, eliminating drow guard posts,
trapping the dark elves’ tunnels and cav¬
erns, and creating as much confusion as
possible. Junior members form the
ranged combat contingent of the main
crusading force.

Gloomblades come from every race
and background, but most are elves,
dwarves, and halflings, and all have
received some sort of training in recon¬
naissance. They share an overriding
passion for the destruction of dark
elves, and in the Ashen Compact’s acad¬
emies, they are trained to defeat the

GLOOMBLADE ADVANCEMENT

Class Base Fort. Ref. Will

Level Attack Save Save Save Special

1st

Sneak attack +id6, drow sign language

2nd

Tremorsense 30 feet

3rd

Stonescreen 2/d ay

4th

Sneak attack +2d6

5th

Immunities

6th

Stonescreen 3/day

7th

Sneak attack +3d6

8th

Tremorsense 60 feet

gth

Ranged disarm, stonescreen 4/day

10th

Sneak attack +4d6

drow on their own terms.

Rogues make the best gloomblades,
but rangers, monks, and bards can cer¬
tainly become successful gloomblades as
well. The martial classes stand to gain
more from the deep avenger prestige
class and rarely possess the skills or
patience required to become
gloomblades. Spellcasters have little to
gain from this class.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of
the gloomblade prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Gloomblades are proficient with all
simple and martial weapons, and
light armor.

Sneak Attack: A ist-level gloomblade
gains the sneak attack ability (see the
Rogue section in Chapter 3 of the
Players Handbook ) if she does not
already have it. She gains +id6 damage
at 1st level, and an additional id6 every
three levels thereafter. If she already
has the sneak attack ability from a pre¬
vious class, the damage bonuses stack.

Drow Sign Language (Ex): Before
they go on crusade, gloomblades learn
the silent language of their prey. Using
these hand signals, a team of Compact
crusaders can communicate silently at
distances of up to 120 feet as long as
they can see each other. Note that a
gloomblade learns this language without
spending skill points.

Tremorsense (Ex): During their train¬
ing, gloomblades learn to pay attention
to subtle vibrations and changes in air
temperature. As a result, they are as
aware of their immediate environment as
a spider in its web. Three times per day,
the gloomblade may take a full-round
action to detect these tiny clues, gaining
the benefits of the tremorsense special
quality for 1 round. She automatically

senses the location of any creature
within 30 feet that is in contact with the
ground. This distance increases to 60
feet at 8th level.

Stonescreen (Sp): At 3rd level, the
gloomblade gains the ability to take the
form of a large rock formation, such as
a boulder or a stalagmite, as per the
stonescreen spell (see the Stonescreen
Spell Description sidebar in this article),
except that the duration is one hour per
gloomblade level. The gloomblade may
use this ability twice per day at 3rd level
and gains one additional use of this abil¬
ity per day at 6th and 9th level.

Immunities (Ex): Gloomblades
undergo even more rigorous and
painful exposure to poisons than deep
avengers. As a result, gloomblades
gain immunity to all poisons.

Ranged Disarm: Gloomblades are
trained to disarm their opponents as
quickly as possible. At gth level, a
gloomblade can use ranged attacks to
disarm opponents within 30 feet. Doing
so doesn’t provoke an attack of opportu¬
nity from the defender unless a normal
ranged attack would (if the gloomblade
and the target are adjacent, for
instance). Regardless of the ranged
weapon the gloomblade is using, it
counts as a one-handed, Medium-size

IMPROVED COUNTERSPELL
[General]

You understand the nuances of magic
to such an extent that you can counter
your opponents’ spells with great effi¬
ciency.

Benefit: When counterspelling,
instead of using the exact spell you are
trying to counter, you may use a spell
of the same school that is one or more
levels higher than the target spell.

GRAY SAGE ADVANCEMENT

Class Base Fort. Ref. Will
Level Attack Save Save Save Special

Spells/Day

ist

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

+2 Improved Counterspell,

handreading +1 level of existing class

+3 Blindsight 30 feet +1 level of existing class

+3 Improved silent spell 2/day +1 level of existing class

+4 Improved spell penetration +4 +1 level of existing class

+4 Greater Counterspell +1 level of existing class

+5 Improved silent spell 4/day +1 level of existing class

+5 Blindsight 60 feet +1 level of existing class

+6 Increased spell penetration +6 +1 level of existing class

+6 Improved silent spell 6/day +1 level of existing class

+7 Mordenkainen’s disjunction +1 level of existing class

weapon for the opposed disarm check.
The gloomblade cannot lose her own
weapon during such an attempt.

Gray Sage

A gray sage is a silent, watchful figure
of terrible devotion. These spellcasters
give up their lives in the sunlit world
and eventually sacrifice their sight
to the cause of war against the
dark elves.

Gray sages are trained in total dark¬
ness and drilled night and day in the
tactics and methods of their enemy.

On a crusade, every gray sage is
assigned to a squad of troopers as
magical support. Their role is to pro¬
tect their squad against summoned
demons and vermin, keep them free of
the normal spells cast by the drow,
and to maintain a cloak of illusion or
invisibility around them. In more dire
situations, gray sages unleash powerful
offensive magic on the front lines.

Gray sages are usually humans or
elves, and the majority begin their
careers as wizards and sorcerers.
Clerics and druids also make good
gray sages. A small number of bards
are allowed to train as gray sages, but
these jacks-of-all-trades typically fare
better as gloomblades.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of
the gray sage prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Gray
sages gain no new proficiency in any
weapon or armor.

Spells Per Day: When a new gray
sage level is gained, the character gains
new spells per day as if he had also
gained a level in a spellcasting class he
belonged to before adding the prestige

class. He does not, however, gain any
other benefit a character of that class
would have gained (improved chance of
controlling or rebuking undead, metam¬
agic or item creation feats, and so on),
except for an increased effective level
of spellcasting. If a character had more
than one spellcasting class before
becoming a gray sage, he must decide to
which class he adds the new level for
purposes of determining spells per day.

Improved Counterspell: Gray sages
spend much of their first year training
to counter spells commonly cast by
the dark elves. They gain the Improved
Counterspell feat ( Forgotten Realms
Campaign Setting) as a bonus feat. In
addition, if the target spell is dancing
lights , darkness , or faerie fire , the
gray sage gains a +2 bonus to his
Spellcraft check.

Handreading (Ex): As part of their
immersion training, gray sages spend
months in total darkness while they hone
their craft. One side effect of this is the
preternatural ability to read script with
the tips of their fingers. This allows wiz¬
ards to study their spellbooks without a
light source, and allows all casters to use
scrolls in the darkness of the drow king¬
doms. This does not impart any ability to
read additional languages or to decipher
previously unreadable script. Glyphs of
warding and other similar spells activate
normally when read “by hand.”

Blindsight (Ex): When a gray sage is
judged worthy, he is brought before the
high council of aboleths and mind flayers
who dwell in the depths of the academy.
These creatures are well disguised as
humanoid magicians, and thus, the gray
sage has no reason to suspect that any¬
thing is amiss. The gray sage is placed
into a trance, and then the mind flayers

GRAY SAGE Requirements

To qualify to become a gray sage, a
character must fulfill all of the follow¬
ing criteria.

Feats: Blind-Fight, Silent Spell, Spell
Penetration.

Spells: Able to cast any 4th-level
Conjuration spell.

Special: Must speak Undercommon.

GRAY SAGE Class Skills

The gray sage’s class skills (and the
key ability for each skill) are:

Str: -
Dex: -

Con: Concentration.

Int: Alchemy, Craft (any),

Knowledge (all skills, taken individually),
Scry (exclusive skill), Spellcraft.

Wis: Intuit Direction, Profession.
Cha:-

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int
modifier.

excise and cauterize portions of his
brain. This horrific procedure leaves the
character completely blind, but with a
new ability to sense the world through
magic vibrations. He suffers the effects
of blindness, but gains blindsight with a
range of 30 feet. This increases to 60
feet at 7th level. The surgery has no
other effects, and the characters memo¬
ries of the event are mercifully wiped
clean before he wakes.

The gray sage can be cured of his
blindness with cure blindness, heal, or
other powerful curative magic.

However, such healing causes the gray
sage to lose any blindsight granted by
this class and prevents further advance¬
ment as a gray sage.

Greater Counterspell (Ex): At 5th
level, a gray sage’s counterspell ability
improves so that when counter¬
spelling, he may use any spell of the
same school that is of equal level to
the target spell. In addition, if the tar¬
get spell is dancing lights, darkness, or
faerie fire, the gray sage gains an
additional +4 bonus to his Spellcraft
check. If the target spell is a
Conjuration (Summoning) spell, the
gray sage gains a +2 bonus to his
Spellcraft check.

Improved Spell Penetration (Ex): Gray
sages receive intense training on how to
overcome the dark elves’ potent spell

58 august 2oo2

resistance. As a result, they gain a +4
bonus on caster level checks (id2o +
caster level) to beat a creatures spell
resistance. This bonus does not stack
with the bonus from the Spell Penetration
or Greater Spell Penetration ( Forgotten
Realms Campaign Setting) feats. At 8th
level, this bonus increases to +6.

Improved Silent Spell (Su): Beginning
at 3rd level, the gray sage can cast a
spell silently with no verbal components.
This ability is similar to the Silent Spell
feat, except that it does not use a spell
slot one level higher than the spells
actual level. For example, the gray sage
could cast a silent fireball as a 3rd-level
spell instead of a 4th-level spell. He can
use this ability twice per day at 3rd
level, 4 times per day at 6th level, and 6
times per day at 9th level.

Mordenkainen ’s Disjunction (Sp):
Highly skilled and successful gray sages
catch the attention of their aboleth and
mind flayer instructors. These few stu¬
dents are taken aside for special training,
where they learn to harness the power
of their minds to disjoin magical effects
and magic items. Once per day, a 10th-
level gray sage can cast mordenkainen s
disjunction as a 20th-level wizard.

Equipping the Troops

Those dedicated to the Compact cru¬
sades have developed a number of use¬
ful spells and alchemical and magic items
to assist them in their quest to rid the
world of drow. Most are given to the
troops as standard equipment, but they
are closely guarded, and it is rare for
the items to be seen on the open market.

Alchemical Items

Deepsmoke Stick: This alchemically
treated wooden stick is similar to a
smokestick, except that it has also
been soaked in a foul-smelling resin
that produces an oily smoke in a 10-
foot cube when ignited. The smoke is
made up of tarry flecks and reflective
crystals, and the resulting miasma is
so thick that it blocks scent and even
blindsight. The cloud has no effect on
creatures with tremorsense. The stick
is consumed after 1 round, and the
smoke dissipates naturally.

Flashball: You can throw this fist-sized
sphere as a grenadelike weapon (see
page 138 in the Players Handbook).

When a flashball strikes a hard surface,
it explodes in a flash of brilliant white
light. Creatures within a 15-foot radius

who suffer penalties in bright light suf¬
fer them for 1 round after being
exposed to the burst of light. In an area
affected by the darkness spell, a flashball
does not work.

Alchemical Item

Cost

Craft DC

Deepsmoke Stick

4°gP

Flashball

40 gP

Rockburn Oil

5° gP

Rockburn Oil: This viscid green oil is
derived from the corrosive slime
secreted by delvers. Rockburn oil can be
used as a grenadelike weapon (see page
138 in the Players Handbook ), dealing
id4 points of damage to organic crea¬
tures or objects. Against metallic crea¬
tures or objects, rockburn oil deals 2d4
points of damage, and against stony
creatures (including earth elementals) or
objects it deals 4d4 points of damage.

Magic Weapon Special Abilities

Subterranean: Subterranean weapons
give their bearers an edge in under¬
ground combat, granting them a +2
enhancement bonus to attack and dam¬
age rolls when at least 30 feet below the
surface. In addition, the wielder gains
darkvision with a range of 60 feet as
long as the weapon is in hand. When
held, the wielder of a subterranean
weapon suffers from light blindness
(blinded for 1 round by bright light, -1 to
attacks, saves, and checks when in direct
sunlight or the radius of a daylight spell)
for 1 round. When a subterranean
weapon is used aboveground or up to 29
feet below the surface, it acts as a nor¬
mal weapon, and its magical properties
have no affect. Subterranean weapons
never shed light; casting a light spell on a
subterranean weapon has no effect.

Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft
Magic Arms and Armor, darkvision;
Market Price: +2 bonus.

Sunlight: Sunlight weapons are forged
to combat creatures of the deep dark.
Upon command, these weapons shed
light as a daylight spell within a 60 foot
radius for up to one hour per day.
Creatures who suffer penalties in bright
light suffer them while exposed to the
light shed by a sunlight weapon. In addi¬
tion, these creatures suffer an additional
id6 points of damage when struck by an
activated sunlight weapon.

Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft
Magic Arms and Armor, daylight, sun¬
burst; Market Price: +1 bonus. ®

STONESCREEN

Transmutation
Level: Drd 2, Rgr 3
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You

Duration: 1 hour/level (D)

By means of this spell, you are able
to assume the form of a tall stalactite,
stony crag, or large boulder. The
closest inspection cannot reveal that
the stone formation in question is
actually a magically concealed crea¬
ture. To all normal tests you are, in
fact, a stone formation, although a
detect magic spell reveals a faint
transmutation on the stone. While in
stone form, you can observe all that
transpires around you just as if you
were in your normal form, and your
hit points, saves, and class abilities
remain unaffected. You gain a +10
natural armor bonus to AC but have
an effective Dexterity score of 1. You
are immune to critical hits while
inside the stonescreen. All clothing
and gear carried or worn changes
with you.

You can dismiss stonescreen as a
free action (instead of as a standard
action).

FEATS FOR DROW-FIGHTERS

Drow Slayer [General]

Your enmity for the drow has led you
to learn their tactics and fighting
styles, giving you an advantage when
fighting them.

Prerequisites: Damage bonus
against drow.

Benefit: You gain a +2 insight
bonus on all saves against spells and
spell-like abilities cast by drow.

Spelunker [General]

You spend long amounts of time
exploring and studying caves.

Prerequisites: Alertness, Wis 13+.

Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all
Search, Spot, and Climb checks made
in natural caverns and tunnels. Note
that these bonuses do not apply in
worked stone or masonry structures.
The bonuses from this feat stack with
those from the Alertness feat.

60 august 2oo2

- V- 62 august 2oo2

SHADES OF

NECROMANCER CLASS COMBINATIONS

by Wade Nudson • illustrated by Peter Bergting

To many, the word necromancy
evokes images of shrouded dread
and undead terrors. These
assumptions help to propagate the
common perception of necromancers
as evil beings who animate soulless
creatures, robbing them of an afterlife
for purely selfish reasons. Some say
Necromancy is the vilest of the black
arts, the darkest of all the magical
schools, and that to even think about it
is to be tempted to wickedness. In truth,
Necromancy is no more dangerous
than any other school of magic. It
focuses on the study of death and the
forces that can hold a soul in immortal
balance, caught in perpetual undeath.

Necromancers are adept at manipulat¬
ing these forces and relationships, and
many learn to create or control undead
creatures. Each necromancer must
decide how he wants to use his powers.
Does he raise undead armies to guard
his tower, to set upon his enemies, and
to hunt wayward travelers? Or does he
respect the wishes of the dead, allowing
them to complete unfinished tasks in
return for protection and aid? Does he
use his powers to further his own
twisted ambitions, or does he use them
to help those on both sides of the cur¬
tain of life who are in need?

The Black Path

In the eyes of most, Necromancy is evil,
and many who call themselves necro¬
mancers are indeed selfish and corrupt.
These necromancers have no compunc¬
tion about the wills or wishes of
departed souls and would gladly bind a
family members spirit to a spittoon if it
suited their needs. Evil necromancers
are renowned for sending forth undead

to conquer and pillage, for reanimating
and twisting the heroes sent to bring
them down, and for infesting the mazes
below their fortresses with flesh-hungry
horrors. They generally care nothing for
the undead servants they create, know¬
ing that creating another such servant is
but a corpse away.

Lawful Evil: No doubt the most dan¬
gerous and sinister of all necro¬
mancers, these villains have a plan.
Their control over the undead is a tool
that they use to terrorize the societies
unlucky enough to be near them. They
can wait patiently for decades, watching
their foes perish only to raise them up
again and send them against their own
children. They create undead from
defeated enemies, sending these min¬
ions to attack the source of such
resistance as examples of the strength
and power of Necromancy. Lawful evil
necromancers use their undead as tools
to accomplish their goals. Of the evil
necromancers, these foul creatures are
most likely to work together, as long as
the pecking order is clearly established.
Apprentices would do well to train
under such a master.

Neutral Evil: Where lawful evil necro¬
mancers use methodical plans and cun¬
ning, neutral evil necromancers use their
powers to fulfill selfish goals, taking a
far less pragmatic or long-term view. Of
course, selfish isn’t sloppy, and neutral
evil necromancers are careful and pre¬
cise in the practice of their art. Their
goals are primarily their own, not that of
some society or group, and only rarely
might such a necromancer work with
others of his kind. Neutral evil necro¬
mancers do not announce themselves to
neighboring villages by sending ranks of

skeletons to invade. Rather, they enter
themselves, covered by pitch-black
cloaks, moving swiftly and silently
through the populace. A single undead,
hidden in a closet, can be used like a
precision instrument, striking at
exactly the right moment and then
crumbling to dust. This is the mark of
a master artisan.

Chaotic Evil: Chaotic evil necro¬
mancers use the aura of fear surround¬
ing their art to intimidate and bully their
way to the top of the food chain.
Typically lazy, these necromancers have
found that power corrupts, and absolute
power attracts the corruptible. Why
bother negotiating with intruders when
you can send an undead horde against
them? Why wait until your next experi¬
ment is dead before you begin? “Almost
dead” is good enough. The henchmen of
the chaotic evil necromancer frequently
find themselves filling the ranks of the
adjutant skeletons and zombies lurching
about the halls. It does not bode well to
make a mistake when serving such a
master. Chaotic evil necromancers also
use their undead as tools, but “the right
tool for the job” makes no sense to them.
They’d use a sledgehammer to fix a
crack in a crystal ball. Bigger and more
powerful undead are always better.

The Gray Path

Neutral necromancers have stranger
views than evil ones, but they at least
have goals that most civilized folk can
appreciate. Neutral necromancers gen¬
erally see themselves as pragmatists.
They are capable of acts that seem
unspeakably evil, but once you exam¬
ine the causes, you see that such acts
are just and equitable, if perhaps a bit

cold-hearted. Neutral necromancers
understand that death and decay are as
much parts of life as birth and growth.
They understand that for life to flour¬
ish, limbs must be cut, herds must be
thinned, and corpses must rot to pro¬
vide nourishment for the fungus under¬
neath. The undead have a no more
strange or different existence than the
living or dead. Each has a purpose to
serve, and the neutral necromancer
only seeks to facilitate the relationships
between life and death.

Lawful Neutral: Lawful neutral necro¬
mancers adhere to strict rules about
raising undead creatures. Sometimes this
code is imprinted upon them by their
cultural norms, but lawful neutral necro¬
mancers must sometimes choose not to
cling to societal norms as a whole,
knowing what they do is necessary, but
understanding their art is not widely
accepted. Within their science, they have
their own ethical code that supports
them and gives them direction. Some
only deal in the corpses of criminals,
others only in the bodies of fallen foes.
Whatever the code, the undead created
or controlled serve the lawful neutral
necromancer unfailingly, or they are
instantly destroyed. The lawful neutral
necromancer abhors seeing unfettered
undead, knowing well the damage they
are capable of. If he cannot bring them
under his control, he will do what he can
to destroy them.

True Neutral: True neutral necro¬
mancers fully commit themselves to
neutrality. They have no other choice.
The temptations of the strength and
power their abilities could bring them
are balanced against the desire to stand
true against extremism and prejudices of
folk ignorant of their careful path.
Choosing to study the necromantic arts,
the neutral necromancer willingly places
himself on a narrow line between evil
manipulation of negative energies and
the church-funded fanatics who seek out
and slay anything with even a hint of
evil taint attached to it. It is perhaps the
true neutral necromancers who best
understand that knowledge is a tool,
nothing more and nothing less.

Chaotic Neutral: Some study the
necromantic arts as a means to power,
some study the arts to better battle evil
undead, working to destroy or control
unfettered walking corpses, and some
study the necromantic arts because they
think it might be fun. Chaotic neutral

necromancers see their power as a path
to liberation; easy labor you don’t have
to pay or feed. They create undead on a
whim, and once the immediate goal has
been achieved, they either destroy,
entomb, or free their minions as they
see fit. They have no attachment to soci¬
eties or organizations, and they rarely
link themselves to a single tower or lab¬
oratory. The nomads of the art, these
spellcasters are the ones most often
responsible for the single errant skele¬
tons wandering through deserted fields
or forests; a necromancer needed a hole
dug, and then set the skeleton loose
once the work was done.

The White Path

Without a doubt the most unusual spell-
casters, good necromancers are very
few and far between. They live apart
from more mundane societies, knowing
that only a few people can grasp the
complexities of the necromantic arts
enough to see beyond their capability
for evil. Good necromancers prepare
spells to heal their undead allies, and
they often spend enough time with intel¬
ligent individual undead creatures to get
to know them. They never use undead
simply as expendable shock troops or
walking trap detectors. As rare as good
necromancers are, rarer still are the
ones who don’t wince a bit when one of
their creations falls.

Other good necromancers study the
art as a part of the “know thy enemy”
philosophy. These are the ones who are
near fanatical in their need to seek out
and destroy the evil necromancers who
abuse their powers. They fight fire with
fire to bring evil to its knees.

Lawful Good: Lawful good necro¬
mancers are usually militant, dedicated
to stamping out those who use
Necromancy for evil deeds. Rather than
count on a vast horde of lowly skeletons,
they create a few undead troops,
empowered by as many spells and
enhancements as they are capable of
casting. These spellcasters move with
their undead allies, bolstering and sup¬
porting the creatures with spells and
items. The undead of a lawful good
necromancer are often organized in mili¬
tary-like groups, with commanders
reporting to the necromancer and relay¬
ing orders to the lower level adjutants.

Neutral Good: Neutral good necro¬
mancers range from comical to insane.
They often employ undead servants for

mundane tasks, such as chopping wood
or hauling goods. Neutral good necro¬
mancers realize that many of the physi¬
cal hardships that the living must suffer
through can be done easily with undead
workers, and they often forget or ignore
the many unpleasant attributes of
undead. Digging latrines, dredging
swamps, hauling massive stone blocks
for the temple, all are jobs that can be
done swiftly and easily with the proper
work force. Neutral good necromancers
aren’t afraid to send their minions into
battle, as long as it is in order to help
out someone in need. They don’t go
looking for trouble, but they don’t mind
settling it. They view undead as tools
and resources.

Chaotic Good: Chaotic good necro¬
mancers are the ones most likely to
treat their undead as boon companions.
Treating their creations with fairness
and equality, they form a band of well-
trained, well-behaved undead adventur¬
ers. Only a few bands such as this have
ever existed, but the benefits of
undeath cannot be overestimated when
you are hunting down vampires,
medusae, or other powerful monsters.
Undead following the tutelage of chaotic
good necromancers have, from time to
time, branched out to fight evil on their
own, merging with evil hordes and
destroying them from the inside. These
close-knit groups of intelligent undead
surrounding chaotic good necromancers
are truly a force to be reckoned with.

NEW FEATS

Necromancers focus their time and
energy on the study of their magic. As
such, they uncover uncommon abilities
that set them apart from other spell
casters. These spells and feats grant
them unparalleled power in their cho¬
sen school, though often at the cost of
lessened power in other magic
schools. Some are reviled as evil
incarnate for what they can do; others
are praised as saviors. Still others
walk among us, plot among us, and
even choose from among us who to
gift or burden with undeath.

Animation Mastery [General]

Your animations are exceptionally
powerful.

Prerequisites: Improved Animation,
Desecrated Animation, Spell Focus
(Necromancy), 12+ ranks in Knowledge
(religion).

64 august 2oo2

Benefits: Undead you create using
animate dead or the create undead spells
gain maximum hit points and an addi¬
tional +2 turn resistance.

Desecrated Animation [General]

Your animations are especially resistant
to turning attempts.

Prerequisites: Ability to cast desecrate,
5+ ranks in Knowledge (religion)

Benefits: Undead creatures you cre¬
ate using animate dead or the create
undead spells gain +2 turn resistance.

Improved Animation [General]

Your undead animations are unusually
powerful.

Prerequisites: Spellcaster level 6th+,
5+ ranks in Knowledge (religion)

Benefits: Undead you create using
animate dead or the create undead spells
gain an additional Hit Die and a +1 com¬
petence bonus to attack and damage
rolls.

Note: Undead do not gain an increase
in size due to the increased Hit Dice
from this feat.

Undead Legion [General]

You can control more undead than
normal.

Prerequisites: Cha 13+, 5+ ranks in
Knowledge (religion)

Benefit: You can create and control
an additional 4 Hit Dice of undead crea¬
tures when casting the spell animate
dead. If you are a cleric attempting to
command undead by virtue of a turning
check, you can control an additional 2
Hit Dice worth of undead creatures.
Also, as a cleric who is attempting to
control a single undead creature with
more Hit Dice than you have levels, you
may control a creature with 2 Hit Dice
more than your cleric level without con¬
centrating continuously.

Normal: Using animate dead, you can
control only 2 Hit Dice worth of crea¬
tures per caster level. As a cleric using
your control undead ability, you can
only control any number of undead
whose total Hit Dice do not exceed your
level.

Greater Undead Legion
[General]

You can control even greater numbers
of undead.

Prerequisites: Cha 15+, 10+ ranks in
Knowledge (religion), Undead Legion
Benefit: You can create and control
an additional 8 Hit Dice of undead

creatures when casting the spell ani¬
mate dead. If you are a cleric attempt¬
ing to command undead by virtue of a
turning check, you can control an
additional 4 Hit Dice worth of undead
creatures. Also, as a cleric who is
attempting to command a single
undead creature with more Hit Dice
than you have levels, you may control
a creature with 4 more Hit Dice than
your cleric level without concentrating
continuously.

Special: The effects of this feat
replace (and do not stack with) those
of Undead Legion.

CLASS COMBOS

The following class concepts show how
the necromancer (specialist wizard)
class can be combined with other
classes to portray diverse characters.
Just from the brief discussion of
alignments early in the article, you can
tell that there are a tremendous num¬
ber of other possibilities. If you create
a great new necromancer character
concept (whether it’s a new class
combo or not), be sure to share your
ideas on the Dragon message boards
at www.wizards.com.

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PALE COMMANDER

The pale commander mixes martial
prowess with arcane Necromancy, pro¬
ducing a fighter who is more than willing
to lead her team of undead minions into
battle. The pale commanders greatest
strength is her ability to raise new
troops after any battle. This continuous
supply of troops makes the pale com¬
mander a tenacious opponent.

Character Choices

Pale commanders combine the fighter
and wizard classes with the spellsword
and pale master prestige classes (both
from Tome and Blood), and their level
progression typically follows one path
at a time. Most of their training is
devoted to their studies as a wizard
and pale master.

Since they never gain more than two
skill points per level during any of their
training, and because their skills don’t
overlap until they begin taking levels of
spellsword and pale master, only pale
commanders with the intelligence to
concentrate simultaneously on several
fields of study have the aptitude to
become pale commanders. Once they
begin their training as spellcasters, pale
commanders begin taking ranks in
Concentration, Knowledge (arcana),
Knowledge (religion) and Spellcraft. This
allows them to fulfill the requirements of
their prestige classes as early as possi¬
ble, while also giving them access to the
more advanced necromantic feats.

Pale commanders need to take the
Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]) feat
before 10th level in order to qualify for
the pale master prestige class. Other
feats often taken by pale commanders
include Combat Casting and Spell Focus
(Necromancy). Pale commanders tend to
focus on Necromancy, and most become
specialist necromancers.

At lower levels, pale commanders
often use enchanted mithral shirts or
elven chain, foregoing their bonemail
and relying on their ability to ignore
arcane spell failures. They use their spell
channel I ability to lash out with chill
touch, damaging their enemies and heal¬
ing their undead minions. Pale command¬
ers often choose the weakening and
destructive touch attacks for the graft
ability they gain as pale masters, finding
that these two touch attacks make them
even more formidable in melee combat.

PALE COMMANDER STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

(Compared to the single-classed wizard)

Advantages

Disadvantages

More hit points

Slower spell progression

Armor and weapon proficiencies

Can’t cast highest-level spells

Two bonus fighter feats

Fewer wizard bonus feats

Better base attack

Weaker familiar

Better Fortitude saves

Less able to penetrate spell resistance

No spell failure (spellsword)

Less damaging offensive spells

Prestige class abilities

Shorter spell durations on most spells

PALE COMMANDER ADVANCEMENT

CharacterClass

Base

Abilities

Level Level

Attack

Fort/Ref/Will

Gained

Ftr 1

+2/+0/+0

Martial weapons proficiency,
bonus fighter feat

Ftr 2

+3/+0/+0

Bonus fighter feat

Ftr 2/Wiz 1

+3/+0/+2

Feat, Scribe Scrolls feat, 0-
and ist-level spells, familiar

Ftr 2/Wiz 2

+3/+0/+3

Ability bonus

Ftr 2/Wiz 3

+4/+1/+3

2nd-level spells

Ftr 2/Wiz 4

+4/+1/+4

Feat

Ftr 2/Wiz 5

+4/+1/+4

Bonus wizard feat, 3rd-level
spells

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 1

+6/+1/+6

Ability bonus, channel spell 1

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 2

+7/ +1/ +7

Feat, ignore spell failure 10%

Ftr 2/ Wiz 5/
SpISwd 3

+6/+1

+7A2/+7

Ignore spell failure 15%

Ftr 2/ Wiz5/
SpISwd 3/PM 1

+6/+1

+9/ +2/ +9

Bonemail +2, 4th-level spells

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 3/PM 2

+10/+2/+10

Feat, ability bonus, animate dead

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 3/PM 3

+7/ +2

+10/+3/+10

Darkvision

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 3/PM 4

Summon undead, bonemail +4

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 3/PM 5

Feat, deathless vigor,

5th-level spells

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 3/PM 6

+9A4

+12/+4/+12

Ability bonus, undead graft

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 3/PM 7

+g/+4

+12/+4/+12

Tough as bone

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 3/PM 8

+10/+5

+i3/+4/+i3

Feat, graft upgrade, bonemail +6

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 3/PM 9

+10/+5

+13/ +5/ +13

Summon greater undead,

6th-level spells

Ftr 2/Wiz 5/
SpISwd 3/PM 10

+11/+6/+1

+14/+5/+14

Ability bonus, deathless mastery

66 august 2oo2

SAVAGE SHAMAN

The savage shaman rises from the
ranks of barbarian tribes and
humanoid hordes as one who is
attuned to the movements and wills of
his ancestors. He is trained as a
shaman, mixing mystical learning with
the physical skills and prowess of his
people. Once he has a full command of
the spells and skills necessary, he is
introduced to his ancestral spirits. He
learns to call upon them as he leads
his people into battle. His physical
skills, divine spells, and the support of
his angry forefathers make him a fear¬
some opponent.

Savage shamans quickly rise to
positions of leadership within their
clans. Their strength and power leaves
little room for dissension.

SAVAGE SHAMAN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

(Compared to the single-classed cleric)

Advantages

More hit points (on average)
Better base attack bonus
Better Fortitude saves
Martial weapon proficiency
Rage and uncanny dodge
Master of shrouds class abilities
Warpriest class abilities

Disadvantages

Slower spell progression

Does not gain most powerful spells

Less effective turn (or rebuke) undead ability

Heavy armor negates barbarian speed

Less able to penetrate spell resistance

Less damaging offensive spells

Shorter spell durations

SAVAGE SHAMAN ADVANCEMENT

Character Choices

Character Class

Base

Abilities

The savage shaman usually chooses

Level

Attack

Fort/Ref/Will

Gained

the Death and Destruction domains

Brb 1

+2/+0/+0

Weapon and armor prof.,

and opts to channel negative energy,

rage i/day, fast movement

thus, most are evil or at least neutral.

Brb 1/ Clr 1

+4/+0/+2

ist-level spells, turning

They often pick combat spells, knowing

Brb 1/ Clr 2

+5A0A3

Feat

they can use their spontaneous casting

Brb 1/ Clr 3

+5/ +1/ +3

Ability increase,

ability to cast inflict wounds spells to

2nd-level spells

aid their undead companions in battle.

Brb 2/ Clr 3

+6/+1/+3

Uncanny dodge

They generally keep their ranks in

Brb 2/ Clr 4

+7/+1/+4

Feat

Concentration and Spellcraft high,

Brb 2/ Clr 5

+7/+1/+4

3rd-level spells

while spending enough skill points on

Brb 3/ Clr 5

+6/+1

+7A2/+5

Ability increase

Knowledge (religion) to keep their

Brb 3/ Clr 5/

CNJ

+7A2/+7

Feat, Extra Turning

ancestors compliant. When they join

MShrd 1

the warpriest prestige class, they opt

Brb 3/ Clr 5/

+7A2/+8

4th-level spells

for the domination domain.

MShrd 2

Savage shamans often take advan¬

Brb 3/ Clr 5/

+9A4

+8A3A8

summon undead I

tage of necromantic feats (see the new

MShrd 3

feats described earlier in this article)

Brb 3/ Clr 5/

+10/+5

+8A3/+9

Feat, ability increase,

to help bolster and support the spirits

MShrd 4

5th-level spells

they summon and undead they create.

Brb 3/ Clr 5/

+11/+6/+1

+10A3A9

Prestige domain, rally

Common feats for the savage shaman

MShrd 4/ WP 1

include Improved Undead Command,

Brb 3/Clr 5/

+12/+7/+2

+10A3A9

summon undead II

Greater Undead Command, or

MShrd 5/ WP 1

Improved Animation.

Brb 3/ Clr 5/

+13/+8/+3

+11/+4/+10

Feat, 6th-level spells

In order to gain access to the war¬

MShrd 6/ WP 1

priest prestige class, savage shamans

Brb 3/ Clr 5/

+14/+9/+4

+11/+4/+10

Ability increase,

need to take the Leadership feat and

MShrd 7/ WP 1

summon undead Hi

Combat Casting feat before gaining

Brb 3/ Clr 5/

+t5/+io/+5

+11/+4/+11

7th-level spells

15th level.

MShrd 8/ WP 1

The savage shaman career path

Brb 3/ CLr 5/

+ l6/+1l/+6/+1

+12/+4/+11

Feat, inflame

combines the barbarian/cleric combi¬

MShrd 8/ WP 2

nation with the master of shrouds and

Brb 3/ Clr 5/

+ I7/+I2/+7/+2

+13A5A11

8th-level spells

warpriest prestige classes (both from

MShrd 9/ WP 2

Defenders of the Faith). ^

Brb 3/ Clr 5/

+ 18/+I3/+8/+3

+13A5A12

Ability increase,

MShrd to/ WP 2

summon undead IV

68 august 2oo2

Issue Number Fourteen • Reaping, 592 cy

A Publication of the RPGA Network
Editor: Erik Mona • Campaign Director: Stephen Radney-MacFarland

Enlightenment can penetrate even the helm of iron — Cuthbertine proverb

CAMPAIGN NEWS

News from the Top
Our bi-monthly round-up of RPGA
Network news and information usually
appears in Polyhedron , our sister publi¬
cation. This month, however, we’ve got
very important news that simply can’t
wait for the next Polyhedron . I apologize
for interrupting your regularly sched¬
uled Living Greyhawk Campaign News ,
but I trust you’ll agree that the following
information is worth it.

So what could be so important?

In our bid to continue to offer better
games for more members, the RPGA has
dropped ALL membership fees as of the
time you read this. For those of you
now leaping around looking for the tele¬
phone number of HQ as you just paid
us renewal money, I ask you to first
please read on, as I suspect you’ll like
what I have to say.

To address and thank those members
who have joined, renewed, or have
multi-year memberships, we are work¬
ing with Chessex, a leading manufac¬
turer of gaming aids and accessories, to
develop an RPGA Network member-
exclusive vinyl Battlemat that will be
sent free of charge to all RPGA
Network members who joined prior to
July i, 2002.

Measuring 23 1/2 in. by 26 in., the
new RPGA Battlemats feature a one-
inch square grid suitable for Dungeons
ct Dragons miniature play. The
Battlemats will be available for collection

at both the US and UK Gen Cons.
Thereafter, we will mail all remaining
qualifying members their Battlemats at
absolutely no charge.

Is that the only good news?

Not hardly.

I promised in Polyhedron #151 that I
would release additional information
regarding our brand-new DM Training
program as that program was devel¬
oped. I’m pleased to inform you that
stage one of that program will be live
by the time you read this. I’d like to
offer a huge thanks to all those who
have contributed to setting up this
important initiative in such a short
period of time.

The entry level in the new DM pro¬
gram is known as Herald level. To qual¬
ify as a Herald-level DM, new members
must pass a simple test of basic table
managment skills administered via the
rpga.com website.

This and future tests for higher judge
levels have been designed to help DMs
deal with situations that occasionally
arise during Network-sanctioned games
(what to do when a player cheats, when
a die rolls off the table, or even when a
player falls asleep!). The entry-level
Herald test is available now. New mem¬
bers must take the test to qualify to
order RPGA scenarios, including Living
Greyhawk adventures.

Current members in good standing
retain their existing judge ranking (and

the ability to order scenarios). Once
we’ve rolled out the complete program,
higher level judges might have to sus¬
tain their current ranking through par¬
ticipation and/or additional tests, but
that’s a ways off.

Members who joined prior to July
1st, 2002 but who do not have an exist¬
ing judge rating may continue to order
scenarios as normal. Once the full pro¬
gram is in swing, however, such mem¬
bers will be required to maintain a DM
rank at the minimum level to retain
that ability.

We’re initiating this new program
because we feel it will improve the play
experience of all RPGA members by
giving Network DMs a common set of
“best practices.” In doing so, we hope to
create a corps of superb Dungeon
Masters. Give it a little time, and we’re
certain you’ll agree.

For now, may the goddess Tymora
[or in this case, Rudd-ed.] shine upon
d20S everywhere.

Ian Richards

Worldwide RPGA Director
ianr@wizards.com

Gen Con UK to Host
Special Events
The RPGA Network is happy to
announce that this year’s Gen Con UK,
taking place August 29 to September 1
at the Olympia 2 in London, will feature

7o august 2oo2

both a Living Greyhawk Open Regional
Slot, and the special Isle of Woe event
set to debut at this years Origins Game
Expo about the time you read this.

The Living Greyhawk Open Regional
slot premiered at Winter Fantasy 2002,
where hundreds of Living Greyhawk
players sunk their teeth into a single
slot of Regional adventures from
across the states and around the world
run by Dungeon Masters from those
home regions.

Now, it’s Europe’s turn!

The Open Regional Slot is the only
place that DMs can run a home regional
adventure away from the real-world
geographic region they are from. For an
event to qualify, it must be a single¬
round Living Greyhawk event, and the
DM must be an RPGA Network member
in good standing and a resident of the
Living Greyhawk region featured in the
adventure. And yes, U.S. and other mili¬
tary servicepeople stationed abroad can
run adventures from the region of their
permanent residence.

And if that weren’t enough Greyhawk
fun, Gen Con UK is also the second site
for the Isle of Woe special event. Like
the Origins Games Expo 2002 version
of the event, the UK version features
Dwarven Forge MasterMaze pieces for
the dungeon works, graciously donated
by the UK game store Hidden Fortress,
which is co-sponsoring the event.

If you are interested in attending Gen
Con UK, check www.genconuk.com.

The Curse of Tristor

It seems there is a Rhennee curse on
the town of Tristor. The slated June re-
release of the 2000 member-exclusive
adventure has been delayed, due to
some logistic issues. But, by the end of
2002, RPGA Network members will
again have the opportunity to delve into
the mysteries of a superstitious village
in the heart of the famously intolerant
Theocracy of the Pale.

The re-release of the Fright at
Tristor Living Greyhawk home play
adventure, when it occurs, will give
RPGA gamemasters the ability to order
the adventure for home play. The new
version of the event features an
Adventure Certificate, instructions on
how to run the adventure as a non¬
standard event (that is, longer than a
typical five-hour slot adventure), and
how to increase the challenge of the
adventure to 3-6 levels of play. It also

will give RPGA Network Dungeon
Masters the ability to order hard copies
of the adventure-which made its exclu¬
sive premiere more than two years
ago-for $9.95 U.S. (while supplies last).
If you missed out on the Fright at
Tristor the first time around, you’ll defi¬
nitely want to take notice of this new

offer. Keep your eyes on the RPGA
website (www.wizards.com/rpga) for
more details about Tristor’s rebirth.

Two Important Adventures to
Debut at Gen Con 2002

Polish your sword and dust off the
spellbooks-this year’s Gen Con and Gen
Con UK are set to feature two highly
anticipated adventures-C0R2-o9: Final
Reckoning, ; a conclusion to the series of
adventures featuring everyone’s
favorite miscreant, Auldon Brendingund,
and COR2-10: Forgotten Echoes , the
much-feared follow-up to last year’s
smash adventure by Chris Tulach and
Jason Bulmahn, noted masters of the
Living Greyhawk beat-down.

In Final Reckoning ; by Sean Flaherty
and John Richardson, your characters
are tasked by Greyhawk City’s Church
of Pelor to help undo the taint of evil
unwittingly unleashed by the
Brendingund paterfamilias. After all he
has done, can Auldon be redeemed?

Not even the healing spells of Pelor’s
priests can save you from the insane
voice in your head-that familiar voice is
back again, the one that whispered to
you deep in the Vesve forest, and it’s
telling you that it is now free. Can you
put an end to the Forgotten Echoes?

Both Gen Cons will feature a third
Living Greyhawk adventure: COR2-11:
Escape from Tehn, by David Christ and
Stephen Radney-MacFarland. In that
event, the story that started with the
Isles of Woe takes a dangerous turn, as
its legacy erupts from the splintered
duchy. Your only chance for escape is
a running fight to the banks of the
Artonsamay River.

Troubling Resurgence
of Drow in Sterich

A troubling encounter with some dis¬
guised black-skinned elves in Istivin has

the people of that recaptured and
recovering city on edge. With reports
that adventurers have discovered a
small drow enclave under the city, that
paranoia has turned to murderous
insanity. No fewer than five vigilante
killings have taken place over the last
fortnight, as adventurers and even

common citizens have taken to killing
anyone suspected to be in league with
the mysterious evil elves. While none
of those who were brutally drawn and
quartered by these “revenge mobs”
were actually drow, the authorities are
turning a blind eye to such sickening
citizen outbursts. Even Marchioness
Resbin Dren Emondav is said to have
called the phenomena “understandable,
if not unfortunate,” and is said to be
making plans to find out more about
the danger currently threatening
the capital.

The Gloom and Disunion Cycle,
which started with the adventure
COR2-04: Birthday Bash, and contin¬
ued with COR2-05: Behind the Veil,
marches on this October with COR2-13:
Bridge Over Svartjet, in which charac¬
ters delve deep into the Underdark in
an attempt to ascertain the true nature
of the threat to Istivin.

What is

Living Greyhawk?

Living Greyhawk is the largest,
most popular shared-world
Dungeons &t Dragons campaign
in the history of gaming. Run
under the auspices of the RPGA
Network (RPGA), the campaign
offers gamers around the world
the chance to contribute to the
developing history of Oerth by
playing specially constructed
adventures at conventions, game
days, or in the comfort of home.
For more information on how you
can get involved in the campaign,
visit www.livinggreyhawk.com

The RPGA has dropped ALL
membership fees as of the time you

read this.

by Frederick Weining
illustrated by Kalman Andrasofszky
cartography by Christopher West

Ages ago, in the youth of their race, a
fundamental discord divided the elves
into two opposing camps. On the side of
goodness and light were the majority of
olvenfolk, who were filled with a joyous and life¬
embracing spirit. But there were others, those
whose natures were fettered with wickedness
and cruelty; and they loved the darkness, for
their deeds were evil.

So the goodly elves shunned their evil
kindred and drove them out from their
communities, denying their kinship and naming
them drow. The two sides made war upon each
other, but good was ever victorious over evil; at
last, shamed and defeated, the drow retreated
altogether from the sunlit lands of the surface to
take refuge in the dark recesses of the
underworld.

The most evil and ambitious of these drow
venerated the demoness Lolth, Queen of the
Spiders; and they, having imbibed of her
venemous ichor, became the nobles of their kind.
By demon-endowed fertility the drow multiplied
and grew strong again in the underworld, their
race born anew and nurtured in the balm of
darkness. The drow themselves became dark, in
flesh as in spirit, hating the light and all who
dwelled in it.

Females of the noble blood waxed powerful in
the service of Lolth, ruling their people with
cruelty and cunning, leading the race of dark
elves ever deeper through lightless caverns and
black passages. In the grandest of all the deep
caverns they built their principal city, palaces for
their nobles, and a great fane for their goddess
and her priesthood. Thus they created their own
subterranean realm, a gloomy fairyland in which
to practice all the perverse arts cherished
by Lolth.

At last, rumor of their enduring evil has risen
once more to trouble the lands above, speaking
of strange elves as dark as the faeries are bright.
If any would seek the truth of these tales, let

VAULT

ARK ELF METROPOLIS

(Based on out-of-print material by Gary Gygax and Monte Cook)

them take the perilous road to the world below, that they may
behold with their own eyes that terrifying and magnificent
homeland of the dark elves: the Vault of the Drow.

The Last Testament of Algorthas the Seer

Councilor Emeritus to the Royal Court of Sterich at Istivin,

588 CY

THE VAULT OF THE DROW

Deep beneath the mighty Hellfurnace Mountains lies the Vault
of the Drow, an immense hemispherical cyst in Oerth’s crust
over six miles long and nearly as broad. Its mineral-veined
ceiling rises more than 1000 fathoms above its crystal-strewn
floor; near the zenith of the dome is a huge mass of
tumkeoite, which as it slowly decays and transforms into
lacofcite glows like a ghostly, plum-colored moon in the
firmament of the Vault, while other phosphorescent nodes
dimly gleam like stars in the same stony heaven. The lights of
this subterranean sky reflect in the dark waters of the Pitchy
Flow and the Weeping Spring, and the image of the whole
strange canopy is trapped and distorted within the Mere of
Glooms.

Many passages and trails wind throughout the underworld,
but one road enters the Vault through a fissure in its
southern wall. The road descends through a gorge about 200
yards wide, which gradually becomes broader as it goes
north. A full mile from the entrance, an ancient stronghold
called the Black Tower stands four stories high, watching
over the Underdark road. The towers foundations rest upon
a steep-sided mound of stone, its massive walls worn smooth

by the passing of ages, almost fused with the natural rock
platform upon which the tower was built.

A narrow incline leads up to the Black Tower-all visitors
are required to report there, for it serves as a checkpoint and
customhouse for foreigners entering the Vault. All non-drow
are questioned regarding the purpose of their visit, and those
deemed acceptable are issued a cloak of silk dyed an unnatural
shade of green, which they must wear to identify themselves
as aliens in the drow homeland. Interlopers who lack the special
cloak soon find themselves killed or enslaved by the many
drow patrols that range the Lower Vault.

An enormous natural antechamber to the Vault opens
perhaps two miles west of the Black Tower. Its entrance is
walled and gated, with six strong towers along its length.

Behind this wall is the fortress of the military sisterhood of the
Vault, a society of female drow warriors sponsored by each of
the eight noble houses, but who swear allegiance only to Lolth.
Nearly two and a half miles to the northeast of the Black
Tower is a walled compound that serves as the stronghold of
the military brotherhood of the Vault, a society of male drow
warriors in service to Lolth, which is financed by the sixteen
merchant clans who dwell in the Lower Vault.

The strongholds of these merchant clans are walled villas
scattered throughout the Lower Vault. Disturbing forests and
thickets of fungi grow between the sixteen merchant villas
here, all on a floor of jagged rocks and jutting formations of
crystal. To the north, by the banks of the Pitchy Flow, the
black-walled city of Erelhei-Cinlu stands as a gateway to the
Upper Vault. A plateau occupied by eight noble estates stands
across a leering span called the Flying Bridge on the other side
of the river. Further still is a guarded passageway leading to

Living Greyhawk Journal 73

2. The Black Tower

Stronghold

the temple chamber of the Demon Queen of Spiders, called
Lolth’s Egg. The enormous red and green ochre cavern holds
an accursed pagoda-like spider temple, the infamous Great
Fane of Lolth.

The mostly likely destination for adventurers travelling to
the Vault of the Drow is Erelhei-Cinlu itself. Representatives
of nearly any race might be found here, whether as visitor,
resident, or captive; indeed, it is not unknown for one person
to have each of these ranks at some point during his sojourn
in Erelhei-Cinlu, and the city of the dark elves is always
ready to tempt new visitors with all the arousements that
darkness can offer.

ERELHEI-CINLU (eh-reel-hay-sen-loo)

Erelhei-Cinlu looks out like a degenerate lover upon the
homeland of the drow, as it has for countless centuries. Within
its black walls ferment all manner of
evils, depravities, and addictions. A 30-
foot high wall of black stone surrounds
the city on the east, south and west,
with eleven square towers placed at
irregular intervals around its length.

The wall to the north is fifty feet high
and made of smooth, perfectly joined
stone, which runs alongside the banks
of the Pitchy Flow. Two gates, one to
the south and one to the north, give
access to the city (though only the
southern “Great Gate” is open to non-
drow); there are also a number of small
doors in or near the walls, though
these are spell-warded, locked, and

ERELHEI-CINLU

(Metropolis):

Nonstandard; AL CE;
100,000 gp limit; Assets
135 million gp; Population
27,000; Demographic cate¬
gory (drow 40%,
troglodytes 15%, bugbears
12%, others (surface
dwellers and undead) 10%,
mindflayers 4%, trolls 4%,
yugoloths 4%, kuo-toa
3%, demons 3%, xvarts
2%, deep gnomes 1%, ores
1%, gith races 1%).

concealed. A perimeter wall-walk links both the city gates and
all eleven towers. Protected by crenelated battlements, the
wall-walk crawls with groups of drow warriors on patrol.

Travelers enter Erelhei-Cinlu via the Great Gate, a broad
stone structure four stories high crowned with rooftop
battlements. Elaborate stone-carved figures of demons and
monsters leer from the piled stones of the exterior, while the
entryway holds four great warrior statues. The two larger of
the quartet, the females, face each other across the entry arch,
holding tall, narrow-bladed axes; the two smaller figures, the
males, face out into the Vault, gripping their thin swords with
both hands. A raised portcullis protects the Great Gate’s
interior passage on the southern end, and a large spiked bronze
gate stands open to the north. Lurid frescoes of demon visages
cover the interior walls, which cleverly conceal the arrow slits
and murder holes that guard its length.

The Great Gate opens onto the High Street, which divides
the eastern and western halves of the city. High Street runs
generally north-south from the Great Gate to the Noble Gate.
End Street crosses it running vaguely east-west; hence, the
two branches are commonly called East End Street and West
End Street, respectively. All told there are eight sections, or
ghettos, of Erelhei-Cinlu. Four patrols of male drow soldiers
make hourly rounds on the main streets, while six patrols of
female drow soldiers roam the back streets and alleys on a
similar schedule.

The two main streets meet at the broad circle intersection
of the Concourse, at the center of which stands a temple of
Keptolo, the drow goddess of flattery, intoxication, rumor, and
opportunism. A large arena pit opens in the circle’s center,
where performances of the most depraved acts serve as public
spectacle. The guardian priests determine who enters the

Pitcfiy Flow

3. Merchant Clan Warehouses

4. Towered Wall and Gatehouse

Pitchy Flow

9. Erelhei-Cinlu *

10. Estate of House Tormtor

1 1 j Estate of House Everhate

74 august 2oo2

1. Palace of Amalriv 10. Yugoloth Barrack

2. F oreign Tem pies 1 1 Verdict Hall

Living Greyhawk Journal 75

The so-called “tax baron” of the
Ghetto of Foreigners, Amalriv is one
of the most powerful permanent resi¬
dents of Erelhei-Cinlu, and its wealthi¬
est non-noble. Amalriv served house
Eilservs for many years, but has since
switched allegiances to Tormtor.
Eclavdra’s return complicates matters,
for although he no longer serves the
cleric, his long relationship with her
and her family cannot be ignored. In
his own right, Amalriv is the closest
thing to a mayor the city can boast,
and he loves Erelhei-Cinlu as only a
drow can. A survivor and above all a
pragmatist, Amalriv respects power
and enjoys the misfortune of the
weak and foolish.

76 august 2oo2

central flesh-pit: only the most attractive or
wealthy. Facing this pit from the south end
of the Concourse, just before rising to
intersect with the High Street, is the main
sewer gate.

Many smaller streets and alleys wind and
zig-zag between the city’s buildings, but six
are especially important in separating the
eastern and western ghettos from each
other. On the western side of the city, the
Player’s Lane separates the Performers and
Artisans districts, while the Aisle of Scribes
divides the Artisans and Scholars. Between
the Scholars and Foreigners runs the Street

of Lies. On the east, Sentinel Street twists
its way in a long arc from Necropolis
Square (with its memorial Well of Despair)
to the North Wall, dividing the Tombs from
the Savage Ghetto. From the eastern corner
of Necropolis Square to the easternmost
wall-tower crosses Dead End Street,
separating the Tombs from the Beggar’s
district. Finally, cutting between the Beggar’s
Ghetto and the Chattel’s Ghetto, is Blackrail
Alley.

The Noble Gate marks the far end of
the High Street. It stands out against the
towerless northern wall as a final defense,
not for the city, but to protect the wealthy
properties to the north from the dregs of
Erelhei-Cinlu. The gatehouse stands six
stories high, built with a set of double gates
protected from each side with portcullises
and topped with crenelated battlements on
the roof and the wall balcony overlooking
the city. The southern archway of the gate,
facing the city, features a haunting carving
of Lolth in her spider form, while the
Queen of Spiders in the guise of a regally
attired drow noblewoman leers from the
northern arch. Two small towers extend
from this arch to watch over the Flying
Bridge to the north, which leads to the
noble manors on the plateau of the
Upper Vault.

City dwellings range from abject
squalor to sumptuous excess and are
crowded together in a chaotic welter
of different shapes, sizes, and styles.
Its streets and alleyways are crooked
and narrow, named by signs carved
into elaborate plaques, or crudely
etched into the building walls.

Many such signs are outlined in
phosphorescent chemicals or
illuminated by glowing lichens or
fire beetle cages.

Though no real order prevails inside
the dark elven city, its eight ghettos
are historically associated with the
eight noble houses. The nobles have
the right to tax the inhabitants of
their related ghetto, but even this
is not performed in any
organized manner, for the tax
collectors-despised by both
their masters and their
subjects-seek only to
enrich themselves. In turn,
the collectors are
normally assassinated
(again, whether by
master or subject,
it matters little)
and replaced

Amalriv: Male drow Wizig; CR 21;
Medium-size humanoid; HD igd^ hp
47; Init +6; Spd 30 ft.; AC 21 (touch 16,
flat-footed 18); Atk +13/+8 melee
(id6+5, +3 quarterstaff); SQ
Darkvision 120 ft., drow traits, SR 30;
AL CE; SV Fort +7, Ref +g, Will +16;
Str 12, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 23, Wis 18,
Cha 10.

Skills and Feats: Alchemy +26,
Concentration +12, Diplomacy +10,
Disguise +10, Forgery +16, Hide +12,
Knowledge (arcana) +28, Listen +11
Profession (trader) +26, Search +13,
Spot +2; Brew Potion, Craft Magic
Arms and Armor, Craft Rod, Craft
Staff, Extend Spell, Improved Critical
(quarterstaff), Improved Initiative,
Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Silent
Spell, Still Spell.

Wizard Spells Prepared
(4/6/6/5/5/5/5/4/3/31 base DC = 16
+ spell level): o —daze (2), mage hand,
read magic, 1st- charm person, iden¬
tify, magic missile (3), shield; 2nd-
darkness, knock, spectral hand,
summon monster II, web (2); 3rd -fly,
haste, hold person (2), vampiric touch,
4th- dimension door, improved invisi¬
bility, polymorph self, stoneskin (2);
5th- cone of cold (2), summon mon¬
ster V, teleport, wall of iron, 6th-
circle of death, disintegrate, flesh
to stone, globe of invulnerability,
repulsion, 7th- control undead,
finger of death, limited wish,
shadow walk, 8th- horrid wilting,
maze, Otilukes telekinetic sphere,
gth -gate, time stop, wail of the ban¬
shee.

Possessions: +3 quarterstaff, ring
of protection +4, rod of rulership,
robe of the archmagi (black).

after only a brief time in office. Yet, since they employ the
greatest number of hirelings (notably mercenary guards), they
provide a boon to the economy of the city. They do so even in
death, for tax collectors traditionally are honored with
expensive funerals by their masters, and even more expensive
funeral celebrations by friends and foes.

The life of the city goes on otherwise in an almost timeless
cycle of pleasure, pain, and oblivion. A civil war in recent
years has not changed this; indeed, most of the casualties of
that war came from among the nobles, or the servants and
soldiers of their houses. The inhabitants of Erelhei-Cinlu, long
inured to bloody conflict, treated the civil war as merely
another murder-spree; knowing how to hide themselves, they
cast only a few of their own before the blade to distract the
blood-lust of the nobles.

With the cessation of internecine strife, the common
citizens of Erelhei-Cinlu have returned to their chosen
professions and turned their attention to their favored victims:
each other. Visitors from the surface are also choice targets,
but they are often too dangerous for any but the most skilled
or powerful drow to prey upon.

THE GHETTO OF FOREIGNERS

Most humans resident in Erelhi-Cinlu live in the Ghetto of
Foreigners, which teems with run-down dwellings for both
permanent and transitory visitors from the surface world.
The establishments found here reflect this in many ways:
the use of light, far more prevalent here than in any other
part of the Vault; the presence of foreign temples, for no
outside deities are permitted worship elsewhere in the drow
realm (and even here they are treated as just another
business catering to non-drow); and even the food and
drink are made to better suit surface tastes, though more
exotic fare is always available for a price.

Foreign Temples

The Foreigners Ghetto is home to the only temples of non-
drow gods allowed in the Vault. All are located along the
Street of Lies, over the entrance of which stands a tall,
gated arch covered with a relief of the demoness Lolth.
Indeed a shrine to the Queen of the Spiders lies just within
the gate, and tradition dictates that all visitors make a
nominal offering of silver as they enter.

The first foreign temple is that of Nerull, who is well
respected in the underworld (particularly among assassins
and executioners). The next is a small temple to the god
Boccob, frequented mostly by wizards from the surface
world, but whose clerics are on good terms with a modest
number of drow scholars and sages. A similarly sized
temple dedicated to Ralishaz stands further along the Street
of Lies, the bane and boon of those addicted to gambling. A
well-appointed sanctum of Incabulos, popular with both
drow and non-drow (most notably poisoners) comes next,
just before similar structures dedicated to Erythnul, Beltar,
and Raxivort.

A black ziggurat temple of Tharizdun sits at the turn of
the street, although it serves as more of a museum than an
active house of worship. Finally, near the end of the street
sits a large group of one- and two-story buildings
connected by pillar-lined courtyards, a motley assembly that
serves as a place of worship dedicated to the lich god

Vecna. Many drow scholars, as well as evil human wizards,
sorcerers, and visiting liches frequent this bizarre complex.

Palace of Amalriv

The home and private fortress of the most successful tax
collector in Erelhei-Cinlu rises seven stories above the city
streets. The round, multi-domed edifice of puce-colored stone
squats at the junction of Squander and Salvage, near the very
center of the Foreigners Ghetto. The palace was briefly put
under siege during the civil war a few years ago, but proved
impenetrable despite some damage to the outer facing.

Currently, the lower two floors of the palace see much
traffic, for Amalriv also acts as a pawnbroker and moneylender
for the entire ghetto. Common sorts of goods are readily
available here, including adventuring gear, weapons, and
clothing. Amalriv stocks second-hand goods particular to the
Vault, such as the red eye cusps worn by some experienced
visitors and various fungal ointments used by hunters, which
otherwise must be custom made by a skilled artisan.

Amalriv also offers loans, usually with severe terms that
would be illegal in any normal city. His yugoloth bondsmen are
quite relentless in their collection activities, and the tax
collectors relationship with the city’s impressive vampiric
community gives him connections even on the surface. In fact,
he is rumored to have a vampire harem on one of the upper
floors of his palace, but visitors are not invited there and
intruders may never leave.

Establishments

The ghetto features many bordellos, casinos, and taverns
(or combinations thereof) suitable for the pursuit of any
common vice found among the surface races. Games and
competitions of every kind are available, from cards and
dice to races and combat, and anything in between. The
most popular gambling house is the Demon’s Draw Casino, a
broad, four-story edifice on Serpent Street.

Other gambling establishments include the Black Widow
(bordello, casino, and inn), the Dragon’s Hoard, the Turning
Wheel, and Gengar’s Blade, the latter known for its hard
liquor and bloodsport. Famous bordellos include the
aformentioned Black Widow, the Green Door, the Serpent’s
Charm (which employs a group of medusa paramours for
select clientele), and the Dreampearl, infamous for its free
use of dangerous potions and elixirs.

The list of taverns and inns found in the Foreigner’s
Ghetto is vast, but two are imminently suitable for first-time
visitors. The Deep, on Haze Avenue, and the Far Night, an
inn and tavern located on Stranger Road. Both are owned
and operated by humans who maintain their own security
forces and keep the local drow patrols well bribed. Though
these establishments are far from safe, the proprietors
strive to keep good relations with others from the surface
world.

THE GHETTO OF SCHOLARS

Located next to the Ghetto of Foreigners, the Ghetto of
Scholars is the next most common destination of travellers
from the surface. Indeed some of the savants and scholars
found here are human, or once-human, and the language of
almost any race can be heard somewhere within the
ghetto’s confines. Tutors in any of the arcane professions

Living Greyhawk Journal 77

different slave markel
the city, liscul has bee
thing of a gourmand,
search of delicious gr
from the cranium.

can be found here, divided info differing
and rival philosophical schools, though all
are devoted to evil. These folk spend much
time in vicious debate and disagreement,
creating conflicts in which truth is not the
only casualty.

The greatest scholarly institution of the
drow in Erelhei-Cinlu is the Spire of the
Encyclic, which claims the membership of
the vast majority of drow sages, whether as
professors, professors emeritus, or simply
as students. The district sports many other
scholarly enclaves as well, and not
only of drow. Some human scholars,
as well as smaller groups of illithid
and derro

savants, also live and teach here, and even
visitors from other planes are not unusual.

The Spire of the Encyclic

The Spire of the Encyclic looks down on the
city from the western end of the quarter,
south of the Aisle of Scribes off of Libram
Square. Its broad central stair spirals up 13
stories, though only the lower three are open
to the public. The Spire houses the Libram
Encyclic, which is said to contain all the
accumulated knowledge of the drow, and its
guardian, an ancient male drow known as
the Inscrutable Redactor. The
Redactor appoints membership
to the body of scholars called
the Professors of the Encyclic,
to whom he grants access to
the great Libram as well as all
the libraries of the Spire.

The Professors of the
Encyclic are expected to be
quite ruthless in the
pursuit of knowledge,
as well as in the uses
to which they put
their subordinates.
These subordinates
serve as the staff of
the lower libraries and
often sell their
services as private
tutors or sages, for
they, like their
masters, also have
access to the upper
libraries of the Spire.
Even the lower
libraries contain
thousands of tomes and scrolls
found nowhere else. Thus, the Spire
of the Encyclic draws many visitors from
the surface world who come in search of
knowledge forbidden in their own lands.

Ages ago, illithid scientists founded the
Antisolar Institute to broaden their scholarly
contacts beyond their own race. Built of
greenish-gray stone not native to the Vault,
the Institute is a broad, four-story building
located on both sides of central Tumkeoite
Boulevard. The larger northern section of the
Institute houses laboratories and lecture halls,
as well as the living quarters of the two
dozen illithid staff members and their leader,
the chief scientist liscul. The smaller southern
section is home to three derro savants and
their followers, and holds an unknown
number of secret laboratories. Covered
walkways on the third and fourth floors join

78 august 2oo2

the two sections, but overall there is limited interaction
between the illithids and derro who work here.

Under normal circumstances, derro and illithids seldom
cooperate, but in this case they share a common belief in a
secret radiation that permeates the Vault. At one time, the
existence of this radiation was more generally accepted, but
evidence of its presence is no longer considered valid by most
of the drow and human scholars of Erelhei-Cinlu. However, the
illithids hold that its properties alter as the hypothetical
radiation phases through different wavelengths. The three
derro savants employed here, refugees from a past Uniting
War, are acknowledged experts in the field of preternatural
radiation, and the illithids wish to take advantage of their
expertise. If possible, they hope to find a way to use the secret
radiation to nullify the detrimental effects of sunlight upon the
races of the Night Below.

Establishments

Favored pubs in the Ghetto of Scholars include the Doctrinaire
and the Poison Pen, two turbulent pubs on Polemic Avenue,
and the more sedate Third Level located on the corner of
Missive Street and Ruse Alley. The Third Level is favored by
devotees of the drowic version of Dragon Chess, who can be
found here at all hours exercising their strategic abilities
against each other.

THE GHETTO OF ARTISANS

The insular craftsmen of the drow make their homes and
businesses in the Ghetto of Artisans. Alchemists, jewelers,
sculptors (of stone or flesh), scribes, painters, poisoners,
tailors, taxidermists, and more all serve the needs of an
eclectic group of customers. As with their neighbors in the
Ghetto of Scholars, the artisans form cabals and guilds with
ever-changing alliances, disputing the quality and worth of
each others craftsmanship while tormenting their own
apprentices with impossible tasks and cruel, demeaning
criticism.

Much of the ghetto is inaccessible to visitors, being a maze
of private walled communities, within which are houses and
workshops, as well as taverns, bordellos and gambling dens
open only to the local residents. Small shops and storefronts
ring these closed neighborhoods, guarded with traps, curses,
and trained monsters (trained wolf-spiders are commonly
found roaming the premises of local shops), as well as hired
mercenaries (though the latter are hardly considered
trustworthy). They also sometimes employ xvart menials as
“runners” to fetch raw materials or other necessities from
elsewhere in the city or the Vault. Some of the artisans have
made contracts with specific merchant clans, trading their
finished goods for needed raw materials, while the rest sell
their wares to both drow merchants and outsiders.

The Twilight Gallery

The stained granite facade of the Twilight Gallery rises three
stories above Rebuke Avenue. Two tall, narrow doorways that
face the street are always open, casting a dim, shifting
illumination on any passerby. Within is a veritable maze of halls
and chambers, filled with the paintings and etchings of the
legendary drow artist, Ool Eurts. A staff of six dopplegangers
act as curators of the gallery, describing the works found in
their allotted sections to visitors and sometimes adopting the

guises of those pictured in the paintings. The artist himself
attends gallery exhibitions of his latest works, and may
otherwise be encountered wandering the city looking for
new subjects.

In the final chamber hangs the Last Canvas , normally
covered by a heavy drapery, but clearly almost as tall as the
three stories of the gallery. Each formal exhibition concludes
here with a viewing of the magical canvas, into which admirers
are drawn to enjoy its contents at close hand. Usually an image
of some Abyssal vista, or occasionally a great event in drow
history, the subject of the Last Canvas is always entirely vivid
and often lethal to unlucky visitors. Nevertheless, it is
considered the high point of any exhibit. The painting remains
covered at all other times, when it is said to show nothing but
the great void. Obviously, anyone drawn into that image would
be forever lost, and many suspect that certain unwary critics
have been disposed of thusly.

The House of Abandonment

The eastern ghetto holds the House of Abandonment, a large
block of tenements occupying all of Mourningweb Court.
Unwanted drow and half-drow children are given or sold to
this orphanage, where they are tested to determine their
fitness to live. Those with aptitudes receive some rudimentary
training, and the chance to demonstrate their worth, up to the
age of eight years. From there they are farmed out as
apprentices, given to the military societies, or sold to the
nobles; otherwise they are simply cast out.

Life in the orphanage prior to this point is hardly pleasant,
but it does represent the drow social ideal. The strong torment
and demean the weak; all presence of kindness and trust are
exploited, then eliminated; and above all, the young learn to
fear Lolth and her priestesses. Deaths are quite common here,
sometimes resulting in the rare “child-banshees” so highly
prized as mourners by the drow priesthoods.

Establishments

Tailors who make and alter delicate drow garments dwell along
the length of Sash Avenue. The tattoo artists, barbers, and
flesh-sculptors, who bear some little resemblance to surgeons,
congregate along Flensers Passage, where they make their
alterations to both slaves and beasts, as well as to the
occasional willing victim. Survival rates are actually fairly high,
but even when bad alterations result in the loss of favored pets
or slaves, the skills of the drow taxidermists (most located
along Shredfell Lane) stand ready and waiting. Alchemists and
poisoners work closely together on Crucible Road, where
visitors can purchase the best, and worst, potions and elixirs.
Finally, jewelers and weaponsmiths congregate near the north
wall on Daggerstaff Alley

THE GHETTO OF PERFORMERS

Drow players and performers live in the Ghetto of Performers.
Musicians, jugglers, tumblers, dancers, actors, puppeteers,
playwrites, poets, and singers-as well as the dreaded lurking
mimes-all practice their arts in the theaters, halls, squares,
streets, and even the alleys of their ghetto. All save the mimes
seek the attention of the largest crowds they can gather. The
more lurid and gaudy the performance, the better they and
their audience enjoy it. In spite of constantly changing fads,
there is always a certain sameness to drow performances;

Living Greyhawk Journal 79

Pruuma She-bear: Female bug
bear Ftrn; CR 13; Medium-size
humanoid (goblinoid); HD 3d8+g
+ ndio+33; hp 116; Init +7; Spd
20 ft.; AC 23 (touch *1,
footed 22); Atk +21/+16/+11 melee
(id8+g, +3 morningstar ); SQ
Darkvision 60 ft.; AL CE; SV
Fort +ii, Ref +g, Will +4; Str ig,
Dex 16, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 11
Cha 10.

Skills and Feats: Climb +18,
Handle Animal +14, Intimidate +5
Listen +2, Move Silently +10
Ride +20, Spot +2, Swim +18
Alertness, Cleave, Dodge,
Expertise, Improved Critical
(morningstar), Improved Disarm,
Improved Initiative, Improved
Unarmed Strike, Mobility, Power
Attack, Weapon Focus (morn
ingstar), Weapon Specialization
(morningstar).

Possessions: +3 morningstar,
banded mail +3, rope of entan
glement.

The reigning arena
champion is the
bugbear bounty
hunter Pruuma
She-bear. The war¬
rior’s dramatic flair aids
her reputation as a flam¬
boyant combatant and
executioner. Those
who underestimate
her skills at
bounty hunting
seldom profit, as
Pruuma studies
her quarry
carefully, learn¬
ing their habits
and anticipating
their moves. An
excellent strate¬
gist and devel¬
oper of traps,

Pruuma favors
using decoys, spies, and many
sorts of bait carefully selected
to lure her prey into her
ful clutches. A great favorite of
the mistress of House Vae,
Pruuma nonetheless continues to
turn down offers of a position in
that household, for she knows
it is better to catch slaves
than to be one.

however, since most drow performers are
severe addicts to every vice, few of them live
long enough to develop any real perspective.
Most wish only for a glorious demise. To their
audience, it is all the same, and they quickly find
some other “star” to watch until it too falls.

The Silver Stage

The drow playwrite Drucena owns and operates
this seven-story theater, the lower four levels
of which house the city’s largest stage. Named
for its pale, shimmering procenium arch and
renowned for its elaborate moving scenery and
other mechanical gimmicks (including the classic
deus ex machina ), the theater also boasts the
most debauched company of performers in
Erelhei-Cinlu. No act is too vile or depraved for
their tastes, and they constantly seek young
talents to despoil.

Perhaps the most admired play in the
company’s repertoire is the War of the
Houses , depicting an idealized Vault in which
the noble houses bloodily destroy each other,
allowing the survivors in the city to enjoy a
perfect and uninhibited anarchy. The show
then devolves into a typical drow orgy;
performances usually sell out weeks in
advance. The audience is expected to
participate, and for grand performances
ushers release airborne hallucinogens into the
theater to add to the mayhem.

A large courtyard known as the Acrobats’
Terrace stands near the southeast corner of
the Noble Gate. The gate’s parapets allow a
good view of the courtyard, and guards often
gather here to watch the performance of
acrobats practicing on the field below. Three
graceful towers rise four stories high in the
middle of the courtyard, joined by slender
ropes of woven silk that bridge the tops of the
towers. Protruding arms of stone run down
the tower walls, and between and around them
on the ground stand small fountains, benches,
and statuary.

During festivals, the resident acrobats climb
and tumble between the towers, or perform
feats of daring while combating each other
with bladed pole-arms. Jugglers practice
their arts in the courtyard below, heedless
of the safety of onlookers. During less
hectic periods, the lurking mimes
sometimes congregate here, where
they have been seen to cavort
with marlgoyles from the outer
Vault. Outsiders are not
welcomed at these silent fetes,
and will be stalked by mimes
for the duration of their
stay in
Erelhei-Cinlu
should they
breach the
dignity of
the mimes’
gathering.

Establishments
All the underworld’s a
stage, at least in the
view of drow
entertainers, and
that outlook
certainly holds
true in the
brothels, taverns,
and drug
emporiums
of this

80 august 2oo2

ghetto. The Silk Curtain on Strut Lane is known for its
acrobatic and dancing harlots. Further north, on Odium
Avenue, the costumed and painted doxies of Mock Hall hurl
their derision, and sometimes their ordure, on both customers
and passersby alike. The Upturned Jar, at the intersection of
Mingle Street and Tac Alley, serves the best of the musty-
flavored fungal wines found in the Vault, to the
accompaniment of drum and pipe. Finally, the Quandarium, on
Netherlorn Road, serves more refined and addictive liquors,
like the deadly abyssenthe, which is said to sharpen all the
senses even as it destroys the body.

THE GHETTO OF SAVAGES

Large numbers of non-drow soldiers, whether of goblinoid
stock or members of the scaled-races, make this ghetto home.
Bugbears and troglodytes form the bulk of these fighters,
whose status in the Vault hovers somewhere between
mercenary and slave. The most prominent of these
mercenaries is a bugbear bounty-hunter named Pruuma She-
bear; when not chasing escaped slaves, she serves as
mistress of ceremonies at the arena, and she carries her
heavy, spiked Morningstar of Office wherever she goes.

The Ceremonial Arena

This arena on Chainmail Boulevard provides solid, brutal
entertainment to drow and non-drow alike. Built of common
clay brick, it stands six stories high at its outer edge, with a
special seating section for drow nobles and their retainers.
The only rule on the floor of the arena is kill or be killed.
Combatants include paid gladiators, bugbears, or troglodytes
alone or in groups (here to settle grudges), trained or wild
beasts, monsters, or any combination of the above. In
addition, escaped slaves are often brought here when re¬
captured, assuming no one else claims them, to be given to
the troglogytes for combat practice. Such captives are killed
(or at least wounded) and then eaten, their unwanted remains
thrown to the ghouls of the Ghetto of the Dead.

The arena is home to two popular annual festivals. The
first, the troglodyte Triumph of Strength, begins with
horrifying violence and concludes with the even more
horrifying troglodyte mating ritual, performed each year at
molting time. Visitors are welcome, but protective magic is
recommended for those not naturally able to withstand the
stench. The other festival is the Executioners’ Revel, in
dishonor of the traitorous House Kilsek, held every year
since their departure. It begins with the normal roster of
killings and concludes with the dismemberment and execution
of drow “traitors” (potentially any in disfavor with Lolth’s
priestesses) by ranking bugbear soldiers.

The Yugoloth Barrack

Most of the many nycaloths and mezzoloths (see Manual of
the Planes ) that dwell within Erelhei-Cinlu live in the Yugoloth
Barrack. A long, three-story structure situated between the
bend of Sentinel Street and West End Street, the barrack
occupies all the area from Netherdelve Alley to Carveheart
Road. Built by fiends from dark red stones, the barrack’s
outer walls bear a beaten bronze gate on the southern face.
Night hags come and go at odd times via several small doors
on the north wall.

The yugoloths who dwell here are the unchallenged
masters of this ghetto, though they wander throughout the
rest of the city as well. It might be possible to purchase the
service of one of the fiendish mercenaries, though not for
any action against the priesthood of Lolth. They likewise will
take no action against any of their kin in the Vault, although
other creatures, including outsiders such as demons, devils,
or the gith-races are fair game.

Establishments

The rank neighborhood between the Concourse and northern
High Street teems with taverns and brothels catering to the
goblinoids and other savage humanoids that visit the city. The
Old Battleaxe, a large gambling house and tavern on Hauberk
Street, caters mostly to bugbear soldiers. Further east, on
Rend Road, sits the Hair o’ the Grog, a tavern and inn
managed by a human former mercenary who happens to be
infected with lycanthropy. The jolly proprietor often entertains
his jaded guests by transforming into a werewolf.

THE GHETTO OF CHATTELS

The Ghetto of Chattels holds Erelhei-Cinlu’s slave and livestock
pens. The slaves’ treatment (and resulting quality) varies widely
by trader. Many of the best slaves and beasts are located in
the southern sections of the ghetto, or anywhere along the
High Street. Traders offer undead and even demonic slaves
along with natural creatures, though such unusual chattel
usually comes from hags visiting the city from their refuge in
the Lower Planes.

Demons and undead also come here to buy slaves or other
livestock, as do derro, illithids, and the occasional surface
dweller. The markets primarily serve noble drow, of course,
who also enjoy the specialty brothels found in this ghetto. The
priesthood of Kiaransali is predominant here, though always
under the watchful eye of Lolth’s priestesses and their servants
in the city patrols.

The Verdict Hall

Overlooking the city from the east side of the High Street, just
south of the Concourse, the bleached limestone walls of Verdict
Hall rise eight stories high. The top three stories are actually
one large pillared auditorium. Any foreigner or non-noble drow
arrested in Erelhei-Cinlu is brought here for trial and ultimate
disposition. Of course, guilt is the only verdict ever delivered
in this court, and there are but two possible penalties for the
convicted: slavery or death. Therefore, in drow jurisprudence,
the winning strategy is the one that avoids trial altogether.

Bribery is the key, but negotiations must be carefully
handled. Offering too little moves a detainee closer to trial, but
offering too much has the same effect; for it is obvious that
anyone capable of paying much is also capable of paying much
more-especially when they are visitors to the city. Chief
Discriminator Kemehdra reviews all cases involving foreigners
that come to trial, for she particularly enjoys adding mutilation
to their sentences, a task she occasionally performs herself.

Menagerie Square

Menagerie Square is home to the largest slave-market in the
city, and surrounding it on all sides are establishments catering
to the needs of the slave-buyer. Smiths work chaining slaves
or repairing cages, while branders work to mark slaves and

Living Greyhawk Journal 81

;d6+i2; hp
£ 18 (roucl
,rk +21/+16
0/ X2, +3 r
6d6; SQ D

Wis 14, Cha 12.

Skills and Feats: Appraise +12,
Balance +15, Bluff +11, Decipher
Script +12, Diplomacy +13, Disable
Device +18, Escape Artist +18,
Forgery +12, Gather Information
+ii, Hide +24, Innuendo +12, Jump
+11, Listen +3, Move Silently +18,
Pick Pocket +20, Search +3, Spot
+3, Tumble +20; Dodge, Mobility,
Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
(rapier), Weapon Focus (rapier).

Possessions: +3 rapier, gloves

beasts with hot iron and crushed crystal. While
brands can be, (and often are) altered as
ownership of a slave is transferred between
masters, the root-brand is indelible. When
properly marked by a drow slave-brander, the
imprint cannot be removed by anything short
of a wish or miracle.

The Venerable Fleshpeddler, master
auctioneer of Menagerie Square, has dwelt
and worked here for nearly six centuries.
None of his many apprentices and juniors
can compare to his talent for getting the best
prices for slaves and livestock, though his
large commissions are often too much
for many slave-traders to afford.

Many other “deals” can be made
on chattels found in this large
ghetto, but the buyer should (here,
as everywhere in Erelhei-Cinlu)
always beware.

Establishments

The Silver Collar, on Venom '
Boulevard, is an expensive
and exclusive bordello, while
the sanguinary pleasures found
in the numerous torture parlors
lining Throttle Street are priced
more negotiably. Other popular
brothels and taverns include the
Cloven Hoof on Stable Street,
the Dark Desire on Manacle
Avenue, and the
Soulcrusher Saloon on
Slavers’ Way.

THE GHETTO OF OUTCASTS
(Beggar's Ghetto)

This section of the city is given over to the
Outcasts, the ultimate undesirables of Erelhei-
Cinlu. Among their number are the beggars,
tainted by disease; the half-breeds, tainted by
mixed blood (either human, elven, or outsider);
and the lost foreigners, who bear the taint of
their own inferior races. One quality unites all
who dwell here: poverty.

The drow dislike poverty, as they dislike
sickness, weakness, and ugliness, but they
still occasionally have uses for those so
afflicted. Therefore, the outcasts are
permitted to remain here, on the edge
of dark elven society. Thieves abound
here, though they practice their art
throughout the rest of the city, as do
the ubiquitous beggars.

Thieves

The thieves of the city band
together for mutual
support and protection. Of
course betrayals are
common, but such is the
way of thieves
everywhere. Here,
however, there are two
groups at almost opposite
ends of the spectrum. One
branch is the lowest of the
low, the dregs of even this
most depraved of cultures.
Most of these rogues lack
the wit and skill of the
powerful drow masters of
Erelhei-Cinlu, but they are
well practiced in the low arts
of mugging, ambush, and
brutal murder.

Members of the other
branch hate dark elven
society and would see it
changed. Among them are
many who have the blood
of surface elves or
humans. These
principled outcasts call
themselves rakes, to
distinguish
themselves from
mere rogues, and
they are
particularly
despised by the
nobles. The
leading voice
among the
rakes is the
half-drow

Jalvan, who makes his headquarters in the Tavern of Nines off
of Cresset Alley.

Beggars

The beggars who wander the streets of Erelhei-Cinlu make
their homes, such as they are, in the so-called Beggar’s Ghetto.
Many-perhaps most-are simply poverty-stricken, brought to
their destitute state by the usual array of addictions, curses, or
incurable madness. These beggars wander the back streets and
alleys, scavenging what they can and seeking handouts from
those they encounter. Sometimes the drow, even the nobles,
respond favorably to these supplications, for the dark elves are
moved by the suffering of others and wish to prolong it when
possible.

Erelhei-Cinlu also possesses different sorts of palmers, who
ply the begging bowl with even greater fervor; and these are
feared in their own right, for they carry a dread disease.

Called the Poxbearers, these beggars plead with glazed white
eyes, picking at skin covered in milky lesions connected by
chalky, deep-veined tendrils of rotting flesh. The stricken
rogues serve Govoc the Prophet, an influential orator most
often seen begging on the Concourse in a place of honor
before the sewer gates.

The mere threat of their touch is enough to provoke the
toss of a few coins, but the Poxbearers also are rumored to
have second-sight. To an obliging donor, they usually predict
good fortune, while to the ungenerous they foretell doom.
They might even grasp such an offender in order to spread
the contagion they bear, which even the strongest magics
cannot cure.

Establishments

Numerous cheap brothels and taverns operate in the Ghetto of
Outcasts. Several rakish retreats cluster near the eastern wall.
The best is the aforementioned Nines, but only those known in
the area are permitted to enter the tavern. Not far away, on
Crew Lane, stands the Greedy Beggar Inn, a place entirely
unwelcoming to beggars, but where visitors may find food and
lodging. Nearby on Fathom Avenue is the Snake Dt Weasel, a
notorious dive, though the owner is well respected for his
ability to fence stolen goods, even to markets outside the Vault.
Finally, the Itchy Witch, a brothel and inn on Furuncle Road, is
considered remarkable for the advanced skill, and advanced
age, of its prostitutes.

Closer to the Ghetto of Chattels are the lairs of the lowly
roguish thieves of Erelhei-Cinlu. Few visitors would have any
desire to call on these establishments, but two are worthy of
mention. The Bent Bar, on Shirk Street, is famous for its
cockatrice fights. Run by a pair of half-ogre brothers with
connections to the temple of Erythnul in the Foreigner’s
Ghetto, the place is a good spot for diners looking for a
fistfight with their food and drink. The Grimacing Wizard, on
Blackrail Alley, is rumored to be the best place in the city
(other than the Snake &t Weasel) to find the location of goods
stolen in the city, particularly magic items.

THE GHETTO OF THE DEAD

(The Tombs)

The Ghetto of the Dead, more commonly called the Tombs, is
the lair of the undead in Erelhei-Cinlu, ceded to them in honor
of their service to the Queen of Spiders. The city’s vampiric

denizens are most often found here, rather than in one of the
more upscale areas; for even in Erelhei-Cinlu, a city devoted to
addiction and depravity, the vampire and vampire spawn’s
addiction to blood is considered declasse , little better than the
ghouls’ craving for flesh. Necromancers dwell here too, where
they can practice their craft without restriction. They produce
an almost endless supply of zombies and skeletons for their
own use, as well as animating some of the creations of the
taxidermists of the artisan’s quarter. The ghouls who lair here
are reasonably tame, following the leadership of their ghastly
masters, for they have learned that they need only wait-
eventually, all the inhabitants of the city become their meat.

Necropolis Square

Whether an elaborate funeral procession of some wealthy non¬
noble, the modest death service of a commoner, or even the
callous final disposition of a pauper, all end in Necropolis
Square. The Square is well tended and maintained, licked clean
as it were by the ghouls and ghasts of the city. Eight tall
obelisks, one for each of the noble houses, sit at its eight
corners. At its center stands the Well of Despair, considered
the birthplace of the Vault’s shadows, and certainly a
stronghold of those vaporous undead. By tradition, the undead
do not enter the Square to feed until a drow priest or
priestess has ritually shut the eastern gate. The exception to
this is the annual festival called the Running of the Ghouls.

Once a year, the ghouls and ghasts of the city revert to
their feral natures, running through the Tombs and spilling out
into the rest of the city, where they may feed freely on any
who cannot defend themselves. Many noble youth join in the
debauch, though covering themselves first in a protective
fungal ointment to avoid being scented as prey. A few of these
young drow may even participate in the feeding, but most
often they simply use their skills to open the locked gates and
doors of the poor, or strangers, for the young nobles enjoy the
spectacle of forcing others to defend themselves against the
ravenous undead. Citizens of greater means buy wards against
the undead from Lolth’s priestesses, as the priestesses call the
ghouls back into the Ghetto of the Dead to end the festival.

The Alabaster Slab

Erelhei-Cinlu is a city famed for its bordellos, and even the
Tombs are no exception. While there are several here, the one
most often spoken of is the Alabaster Slab, simply called the
Slab. Only two stories high, but many more below, it is located
at the intersection of Banshee Corridor and Handpallor
Avenue. A true den of iniquity, the slab is a brothel of the
dead. From pale and beautiful vampiric paramours to other,
more repugnant offerings, the Slab serves a clientele whose
passion runs cold. Particularly favored by necromancers, this
establishment is operated by a seldom seen, possibly demonic
madame named Suraala Mora. A devout worshiper of Lolth,
Suraala makes it her mission to provide dark oblivion to her
clients and customers, while seeing that her favored employees
are always well fed.

Sarcoma Keep

This fortified mausoleum at the north end of Annihilation Street
is the stronghold of the vampire-warlord Telagos. Once a
proud human warrior of Flan heritage, he has dwelt in the
Vault since he fled the surface nearly five centuries ago and

Living Greyhawk Journal 83

has made Sarcoma Keep his lair for more than three. The
building stands four stories high, with a central tower rising
four more above that. Surprisingly, many of the vampires
servitors are outcast drow or half-drow whom he instructs in
the arts of warfare in exchange for their procurement of
necessities for him. He also houses a group of trained trolls to
guard his keep from attack, and these creatures proved most
useful during the recent civil war.

Establishments

A few watering holes that cater to troglodytes hunker along
the “Tomb-side” of Sentinel Street, the proprietors of which
often trade flesh for coin, even to ghouls and ghasts. Closer to
Necropolis Square are a small number of vampire-run taverns
where humans or other living clients might occasionally be
found. The best of these is doubtless the Black Chalice on
Pandemonium Way, a haven for those gamblers who would
“risk all” during their visit to Erelhei-Cinlu.

ERELHEI-CINLU IN THE CAMPAIGN

The drow metropolis offers many opportunities for adventure.
Good or neutral parties can be drawn here in order to retrieve
a lost adventurer, purchase the freedom of a slave, or capture
a fugitive from surface justice. Even good-aligned characters
on missions such as these might be allowed access to the city,
on the understanding that they will not interfere with the
ongoing commerce of the drow.

For evil characters, training in many dark arts can be
obtained in Erelhei-Cinlu. For both neutral and evil
alignments, there are unusual magic items, spells, or other
forbidden lore that may be found here, as well. Neutral or
evil parties can even enjoy visiting the city on a recurring
basis; unlike other bastions of evil in the World of
Greyhawk, the great city of the drow is “open for business”
to all who wish to risk its perils.

RECENT HISTORY OF THE VAULT

Before the Greyhawk Wars fractured the nations of the
Flanaess, the noble house of Eilservs devised a bold scheme to
establish themselves as leaders of a true drow monarchy.
Though the priestesses of Lolth opposed them, the rebellious
Eilservs found power in the worship of an alien god, and
through alliances with evil giants from the Hellfurnace and
Crystalmist mountains, Eilservs created a clandestine
stronghold outside the Vault. But this gambit proved
their undoing.

Marauders from the upper world followed the trail of
influence back to the Vault, where they assaulted not only the
Eilservs estate, but also the Fane of Lolth itself. The
destruction that the surface dwellers wrought was not vast,
but its effects were ruinous to house Eilservs. Its nobles were
made hostages, to be ravaged by their captors; with its wealth
and pride despoiled, the noble house of Eilservs fell in
disgrace for its weakness.

The Fane of Lolth survived intact, but not unshaken. The
wrath of the priestesses was visited upon the surviving
Eilservs, and the wrath of Lolth was poured out upon the
surface world. The Queen of the Spiders did not scruple to
build upon the foundation laid by the fallen house of
Eilservs, and in the midst of the Greyhawk Wars the giantish
cohorts they had assembled were finally loosed upon the

nations bordering the central Crystalmists-but this time at
Lolth’s command.

Though her power grew on the surface, the remaining
noble houses tested Lolth’s strength in the Vault. House
Tormtor, former ally of Eilservs, now pressed their claim to be
first among the nobility, in honor of their strength and decisive
action against the enemies of the drow. Set against them was
house Kilsek, once the greatest enemy of Eilservs, who also
demanded preeminance among the houses, asserting their long
devotion to Lolth as justification. In response, Tormtor
espoused the newly militant faith of Kiaransalee and took up
the banner of rebellion.

With Tormtor were joined the houses of Everhate and
Aleval, who saw the prospect of advancement for themselves
in a Tormtor victory. Kilsek aligned with the houses of
Despana, Noquar, and Godeep, who held that sanction from the
Fane of Lolth would determine the victor. Further complicating
matters was the intrusion of astral mercenaries called the
githyanki, ancient enemies of the illithid race. As the githyanki
served on the side of the rebel faction, so the illithid felt
compelled to join the conflict on the side of those who claimed
loyalty to the Spider Queen.

Civil war erupted in the drow homeland-a brief, yet bloody
conflict that spilled from the noble estates of the Upper Vault
to the camps and villas of the Lower Vault, and finally into the
streets of Erelhei-Cinlu. Before the end, hundreds of drow and
hundreds more of their savage mercenaries were killed. The
nobles might have destroyed themselves entirely had not the
Queen of the Spiders intervened, though the cost was great to
both Lolth and the noble houses. For her, the price was the loss
of her holdings on the surface of Oerth, but the price she
exacted from her most devoted house was even greater-Kilsek
was sent into exile.

This was no simple expulsion, but a divine punishment for
the failure of Kilsek to triumph over their rivals without putting
the entire drow nation in jeopardy. All those of Kilsek blood
were branded like slaves with the device of their house, and
over this with the sign of the spider, marking them as
anathema in the Vault. The servants of Lolth could detect the
presence of those so marked, lest they ever attempt to return
surreptitiously to the Vault. And so the Kilsek were cast out,
and with them their servants and soldiers. Perhaps Lolth has
other designs for her outcast children, but these will only be
revealed far from the homeland of their birth.

In the wake of this departure came the revelation that Lolth
had accepted the repentance of her most wayward disciple:
Eclavdra, mistress of house Eilservs. The Eilservs were
restored to their former holdings, if not their former position
of leadership; and Eclavdra herself, that most resourceful of
adventurers, became Lolth’s ambassador to the realm of luz.
Lest the dynamic rivalry of the houses again become
unbalanced, an eighth noble family was introduced: the Vae.

A family of landless nobles from a lost city beneath the
Pomarj, the Vae had long worked as slave-traders traveling
with their attendant merchant clans, from whom they were
indistinguishable, save for their house emblems. House Vae
was granted the properties of the exiled Kilsek and charged
with the task of restoring the drow to prosperity. Though
they and their merchant followers were worshipers of the
goddess Kiaransali (as they named her), the traditions of
their cult allowed them to give deference to the Queen of

84 august 2oo2

the Spiders, and so the Vae were found acceptable to Lolth
and her priestesses.

Lolth took living sacrifices from the six warring houses
before departing the Vault, so that none should go unpunished.
Her high priestess put the chief consort of house Tormtor
through the Test of Sacrifice, one of her many punishments,
transforming him into a hideous drider, and conferred the
surviving githyanki mercenaries to her illithid allies, to deal with
as they saw fit. The drow nobles were then free to set about
repairing their estates and nurturing new rivalries under the
watchful eye of the Fane.

NOBLE FAMILIES OF THE VAULT

Eight noble houses control the affairs of the Vault. Over the
years, houses have come and gone (usually due to
internecine fighting), the most recent change being the
expulsion of House Kilsek (and its subsequent replacement by
House Vae) roughly seven years ago.

Tormtor

House Device: Electrum javelin
Urban Mandate: Ghetto of Foreigners
Rank: ist

Alliances: Aleval, Vae

Verdaeth (CE female drow Clri3/Ftr6), mistress of House
Tormtor, has been without a chief consort for nearly seven
years, since her previous mate was taken to the Fane to
endure the Test of Sacrifice. Failing that test resulted in his
transformation into a spiderleg horror (See “The Punishments
of Lolth”), and saw him driven out of the Vault. Lolth and her
priesthood exacted this price from Verdaeth in exchange for
permitting her house to retain its position of superiority over
the other drow nobles. Mistress Verdaeth is philosophical about
the sacrifice of her consort, but would enjoy seeing Charinida,
the high priestess of Lolth, suffer his same fate.

Aleval

House Device: Gold wand

Urban Mandate: Ghetto of Performers

Rank: 2nd

Alliances: Tormtor, Vae

Under the rule of mistress Mevremas (CE female drow Clri4),
Aleval has grown from the weakest of the drow houses to its
current position near the top of the social structure.
Mevremas’s choice to ally with house Tormtor has proven
very advantageous, as have the close relationships she has
maintained with adventuring bands in the Underdark. Of all
the nobles, Mevremas has the most extensive spy network in
Erelhei-Cinlu. Her agents report to her on the activities of
visitors whom she might find useful. Indeed, her willingness to
bring foreigners into her service as more or less “free
agents” is unusual among drow nobles, but she rationalizes
that there will be plenty of time to enslave the world once
she has gained supremacy over her own kindred.

Despana

House Device: Adamantine mace
Urban Mandate: Ghetto of Savages
Rank: 3rd

Alliances: Noquar, Godeep

The aggressive Mistress Nedylene (CE female drow Clr8)

took command of house Despana during the midst of the civil
war seven years ago. Nedylene’s evil is unusually brutal,
almost crude by drow standards, but very effective on the
field of battle. House Despana is now organized in a more or
less military fashion, maintained with a very un-drowlike
discipline. Many in her own household would like to see their
mistress assassinated, but her yugoloth guards have so far
prevented the success of every such attack to date.

Noquar

House Device: Bronze nightmare head
Urban Mandate: Ghetto of Scholars
Rank: 4th

Alliances: Despana, Godeep

House Noquar is ruled by mistress Fedarra (CE female drow
CIri/), a traditional drow matron steeped in the virtues of
Lolth. However, her house owes its current position to her
close contacts with several conservative illithid factions
outside the Vault. With their counsel and support, Noquar
withdrew early from the house-strife of seven years ago,
and so was in a stronger position than most of the other
noble families when Lolth intervened to end the conflict. With
the passing of time, however, the other houses have been
able to rebuild their strength while Noquar has continued to
play a defensive strategy, making it vulnerable to future
gambits from its rivals.

House Device: Platinum Crossbow
Urban Mandate: Ghetto of Artisans
Rank: 5th

Alliances: Noquar, Despana

The mistress of house Godeep, Siadef (CE female drow
Clr8/Ftr8), has ruled for longer than any of the other noble
leaders currently in power. She succeeded in having the
mistress of house Everhate assassinated two years before the
civil war began, and with the exile of house Kilsek at the end
of the conflict, Siadef was left as the most experienced noble
ruler in the Vault. She was unwilling to commit to any
significant military action (save for a series of strikes against
Everhate) during the civil war, and this defensive stance
allowed Godeep to come through nearly unscathed. In the
long run, however, caution is seldom the path to power
among the drow.

Vae

House Device: Iron chain
Urban Mandate: Ghetto of Slaves
Rank: 6th

Alliances: Tormtor, Aleval

House Vae had no direct involvement in the civil war, but
mistress Sereska (CE female drow Clr7/Wiz8) responded
quickly to rumors of the house-strife in the Vault, hoping to
ally with the winning side. The unexpected seriousness of the
conflict proved especially rewarding to this wandering house,
which not only joined with the winning alliance, but also
supplanted the leading house of the defeated faction. The Vae
are still not well accepted by the other noble families of the
Vault, but they have made themselves useful in the
restoration of drow commerce, based on active and efficient
slave trade.

Living Greyhawk Journal 85

Eilservs

House Device: Bronze staff
Urban Mandate: Ghetto of the Dead
Rank: 7th
Alliances: None

The legendary mistress Eclavdra (CE female drow Clr23)
returned to the direct rulership of house Eilservs just three
months ago, after several years in the Flanaess. She has
been invaluable in her service to Lolth since the end of the
Greyhawk Wars, but the time has come to begin her final
gambit in the Vault. She intends to make a bid for the
leadership of the Great Fane of Lolth. The Queen of the
Spiders does not oppose this so long as Eclavdra is precise
in her strike against the current high priestess. The drow
nation must not be further harmed, but when the time
comes, Eclavdra must not be hesitant. In the coming duel,
there will be no second chances.

Everhate

House Device: Silver daggers
Urban Mandate: Ghetto of the Outcasts
Rank: 8th
Alliances: None

The strategy of mistress Gahnah (CE female drow Clri2)
during the civil war was to commit all the resources of
Everhate to house Tormtor, while still proclaiming loyalty
to the Fane of Lolth. The result was that Everhate gained
nothing politically, while at the same time losing nearly
everything in its estate. Since the end of the conflict,
the house has continued to lose status. Everhate now has
very little left to offer any potential allies, and its lowly
position is quite properly blamed on the poor leadership
of mistress Gahnah.

THE SERVANTS OF LOLTH

The Great Fane is the principal temple of Lolth on Oerth. It
houses the servants of Lolth, a small but powerful
community of priestesses, together with their servants and
guards. All of them are required to abandon the loyalties
they may once have held to noble families or factions, in
favor of pure devotion to Lolth and obedience to her high
priestess. Matron Charinida (CE female drow Clr2i)
currently holds power here, as she has for the past two
centuries. Her rule has been at risk several times in the
past, but never more so than during the drow civil war.

Charinida chose sides in that struggle, which only helped
to prolong the fighting and diminish her own authority. The
civil war was finally ended by the intervention of Lolth, but
at the price of her holdings on the surface. However, what
few understood at the time was that Charinida had not
summoned the deity. It was Eclavdra of the ravaged house
of Eilservs who abased herself before the Queen of the
Spiders, undergoing another of the punishments of Lolth to
further prove herself. Eclavdra survived unmarred and
communed directly with Lolth, making a pact with her in the
Web, the details of which Charinida still does not know.

Now, seven years later, Eclavdra has returned to the
Vault. Both she and the high priestess have grown in power
since their last encounter, and it seems that the time is
swiftly approaching when they must determine which of
them is most fit to rule. In the coming duel Lolth cannot be

expected to intervene, but the rewards for victory will be
great, and the penalties for defeat will be absolute. If
Eclvadra should prevail, the surface nations of the Flanaess
can also expect to suffer her retribution, and feel the
venom of the Queen of the Spiders once again.

Drow Deities

The three gods detailed below will help Dungeon Masters
interested in fleshing out the inhabitants of the Vault.
Zinzerena and Keptolo are completely new. Kiaransali has
appeared in several sources, but the version presented
here describes her persona and motivations in the World of
Greyhawk. The Forgotten Realms version of a larger drow
pantheon can be found in Forgotten Realms: Faiths &t
Pantheons. A description of Lolth, the Demon Queen of the
Drow, can be found in Deities &t Demigods.

Keptolo

The Eager Consort

Drow Demigod

Symbol: Stylized mushroom

Home Plane: Demonweb Pits (Abyss)

Alignment: Chaotic evil

Portfolio: Flattery, intoxication, rumor, opportunism
Worshipers: Drow males
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domains: Chaos, Evil, Knowledge, Travel
Favored Weapon: Longsword

Keptolo (kep- toe-low) is the drow male ideal: elegant, quick¬
witted, attentive, and eagerly debauched. He normally
appears as a young nobleman dressed in well-tailored silks
of red, purple, jet, and amber. He is armed with a thin but
sturdy poinard and a filigreed longsword. He affects a two-
handed fighting style, using both weapons at once.

Otherwise he appears dressed for the hunt, velvet-cloaked
and armed with a magnificent crossbow. His relationship
with other drow deities is one of insincere amity, save for
Zinzerena, whom he openly despises. His symbol is a
stylized mushroom, which in drow culture is associated with
both strong drink and fertility.

Feed the vanity of your mistress , and all her treasures
shall be yours. Be careful whom you offend and keep an
expendable companion nearby to hold culpable for your
crimes. Gossip can be as deadly as the venom on an
assassin's blade. Use the poison of words to destroy your
rivals , that you may claim for yourself all they once
presumed was theirs.

Shrines to Keptolo are found throughout the underworld,
for many male drow worship him as their patron, mostly
due to his association with drinking. Tales of his sexual
exploits are quite popular, and there are groups of
performers who act them out for festivals and private
gatherings. His greatest temple is in the drow city of
Erelhei-Cinlu, but only his most attractive or wealthy
worshipers are permitted to participate in services there.

Clerics of Keptolo are found as advisors, critics,
philosophers, and politicians: essentially, any role that does
not require actual work. They seek to emulate their deity in
all ways, and as such number among the most handsome
and charming of the drow race. However, followers of

86 august 2oo2

Keptolo remain very dangerous, for many of them are
skilled dirksmen, poisoners, or spies. Utterly capricious and
completely untrustworthy (even by drow standards),
worshipers of the Eager Consort are deferential to
priestesses of Lolth and attentive to the matrons of the
powerful noble houses. In other relationships, they are
manipulative and abusive, particularly with fellow clerics
lower in the hierarchy.

Kiaransali

The Pitiless Dowager

Drow Demigoddess

Symbol: Female drow hand wearing silver rings
Home Plane: Demonweb Pits (Abyss)

Alignment: Chaotic evil
Portfolio: Slavery, Vengeance, Undeath
Worshipers: Drow, necromancers, undead
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domains: Chaos, Death, Evil
Favored Weapon: Dagger

Kiaransali (/:ee-uh-r<3t7-sa-lee) is the divine sponsor of the
drow slave trade in all its varied aspects. She appears as a
sinuous drow female wearing only silver jewelry and black
silk veils. Her only obvious weapon is her curved dagger,
but her long, sharp fingernails are just as dangerous, and
her touch is said to be as cold as that of a lich. This
goddess has flirted with madness, even thinking to defy her
queen. But Lolth’s power is inexorable, and Kiaransali has
taken of the queen’s venom, returning once more to sanity
and servitude. The symbol of Kiaransali is a hand of a
female drow with three silver rings on each finger and one
on the thumb, with the entire image surrounded by the
silver strands of a spiderweb.

Forgive neither a slight, nor a debt; remember that
payment must always be collected, whether in treasure or
in vengeance. Life is the greatest crime, and perpetual
slavery the fittest punishment. Let there be no freedom for
the enslaved, even in death. Death comes for all; when it
comes for you, take your slaves and your treasure with
you to the grave. The riches of the grave are the dowry of
the mistress.

Worship of Kiaransali has changed since the drow civil
war. Prior to that, she was known as Kiaransalee, but the
final glyph of her name was altered in all texts and
inscriptions, and her liturgy was abridged to conform to
more acceptable doctrines. Her religion no longer claims
any authority that does not derive from the Queen of the
Spiders, though some long-time worshipers still maintain
the traditional resentments.

Clerics of Kiaransali often work as slavers, and
occasionally as torturers or executioners. They are
meticulous, almost paranoid, about record keeping, as
well as being miserly with wealth. They commonly work
their slaves to death and then animate the corpses so
they may continue to serve. They keep their other
servants in a state as close to slavery as they can
manage, and withhold wages for the slightest offense.
However, despite their stinginess, they are the first to
offer bounty on escaped slaves and prisoners, and they
will pay these rewards in full.

Zinzerena

The Princess of the Outcasts

Drow Hero Goddess
Symbol: The draped sword
Home Plane: Material Plane
Alignment: Chaotic neutral

Portfolio: Deception, humiliation, ambush, assassination
Worshipers: Drow outcasts, rakes, assassins, malcontents
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, CG, N
Domains: Chaos, Luck, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Shortsword

Zinzerena (zin-zuh-RAY-nuh) is a rebellious heroine
venerated by the dissidents and outcasts of drow society.
She appears as a cloaked and masked drow rogue who
moves with astounding agility. Her cloak has the powers of
displacement and protection , while her shortsword
produces a paralyzing venom. She also carries a black-
handled crop, which she uses to stun her victims. The
great artifact also has the powers of a wand of wonder.

Her sponsor to divinity was Keptolo, though she gained
a fraction of his power by a ruse, for which he hates
her. Her symbol is the draped sword, representing her
hidden menace.

Raise yourself up by bringing others down. Don't reveal
your strength, or your hatred, until your victim is helpless.
Don't strike until you have the advantage; the only fair
fight is the one you win. Once the trap is sprung, make
time to gloat before the kill. The legs of the spider are
made to be broken.

The liturgy of Zinzerena is passed on in the form of
folk-tales, for her faith has no place among the leadership
of drow society. Her tales usually describe her hiding and
waiting until her foes are weakened or lax in their attention
before she attacks, and stories of her origin always
describe her as local to the region in which they are told.

Clerics of Zinzerena often multi-class as fighters or
rogues. They are much more common in the decadent cities
of the drow, but may be encountered almost anywhere, for
even the noble estates have servants and staff drawn from
among the commoners. Only the most bohemian of nobles
would enter her priesthood, though some have done so;
inevitably, when they are discovered they are cast out as
traitors to their social class. Ironically, such downcast
nobles often become the greatest leaders of Zinzerena’s
clergy, for they are the best educated and most politically
experienced. Her clerics work as anything from simple
rogues, to laborers, guides, physicians, poets, prostitutes,
or nearly any other profession. What they all share is a
rebellious spirit and a desire for change.

Living Greyhawk Campaign Note: Knowledge of
Zinzerena’s cult has not yet spread to the surface world.

At the present time, no player character in the Living
Greyhawk campaign can take Zinzerena as a patron.

Living Greyhawk Journal 87

by Chris Pramas • illistrated by Sam Wood

Underneath Eastern Oerik lies the
legendary Vault of the Drow (see
the Living Greyhawk Journal in
this issue). Until recently, the drow
lived under the domination of the
priestesses of Lolth, with eight noble
houses implementing the will of the
Queen of the Demonweb Pits. Trouble
began after a group of adventurers
raided the Vault. Accusations flew from
all the noble houses. After a series of
plots and counterplots, the House of
Tormtor raised the flag of revolt
against the priestesses of Lolth. A
vicious civil war ensued, pitting

Tormtor, two allied houses, and
githyanki warriors against the House of
Kilsek, the remaining three houses, and
their illithid allies. During the fighting,
the ancient Kilsek estate was sacked
and its forces scattered. They
regrouped, seized the drow city of
Erelhei-Cinlu, and led a bloody pogrom
against Tormtor sympathizers.

The civil war made the drow weak,
and their enemies began to take advan¬
tage of the situation. After rounds of
even bloodier fighting, the surviving
nobles called a truce and met to discuss
a lasting peace. The meetings were

contentious, and more than one envoy
fell to an assassins blade. In the end, a
peace plan was hammered together.

The drow nobles decided the only way
to keep the peace was to officially dis¬
band the House of Kilsek so that there
would be balance among the houses.
This was acceptable to everyone
except, of course, the Kilseks.

The Plea

Venrit, the leader of the House of
Kilsek, appealed to the priestesses of
Lolth, but the minions of the Spider
Queen stood by the decision. The Kilsek

88 august 2oo2

estate was already destroyed, the
priestesses noted, and the peace plan
suited Lolth’s whims. Venrit was furi¬
ous. She refused to break up her
forces among the other houses, nor
was she willing to start a war she was
certain to lose.

Venrit retreated to her private
sanctum to gather her thoughts. “Was
this really the will of the Spider
Queen?” she asked herself. An idea
was forming in her mind, but she
would not lead her house to its ulti¬
mate annihilation unless she was cer¬
tain of Lolth’s desires. Venrit was
determined to find out the truth.

While the rest of her house slept,
Venrit slipped into the secret dungeons
beneath the ruins of the Kilsek Estate.
She dragged a prisoner, a Tormtor
noble thought long dead by the rest of
the drow, into the Kilsek arena. Venrit
had watched hundreds of slaves and
prisoners fight to the death here. This
night she would undergo her own test.

Venrit summoned forth Teela, a mon¬
strous spider of unmatched size and
ferocity. As the hairy brute lumbered
into the arena, Venrit shouted out,
“Lolth, my queen, it is your servant,
Venrit. Grant me this judgment!

“If the destruction of the House of
Kilsek is truly your will, let Teela strike
me down. But if Kilsek may continue to
serve you, let Teela tear this Tormtor
traitor limb from limb!”

The spider swung its head from
Venrit to the prisoner and back again.
The mistress of the House of Kilsek
stood calmly before the beast, both
hands touching the spider amulet that
hung around her neck. As the pris¬
oner’s eyes bulged, Teela struck. Venrit
watched the spider sink its fangs into
the Tormtor noble. He screamed only
once before the venom paralyzed him.
Venrit should have exited the arena
immediately, but she lingered to watch
Teela feed. She knew she was in no
danger. Lolth had spoken.

The Exodus

The next day, Venrit rallied the remain¬
ing members of her house and marched
proudly out of the Vault of the Drow.
She took two merchant clans, a

troglodyte tribe, a dozen trolls, and a
hunting pack of displacer beasts with
her. She didn’t know where she would
go, but she vowed that the House of
Kilsek would return to the Vault of the
Drow as conquerors or not at all.

The first year outside the Vault was
difficult. The Kilsek suffered attacks
from deep gnomes, beholders, and
githyanki. They grew low on ammuni¬
tion and magical components, and food
became scarce. The once proud house
began to look like a group of scav¬
engers, as Kilsek warriors looted what
they needed from defeated foes. And
still they wandered, deep beneath
Oerth, with no destination. Some advo¬
cated that they try their luck on the
surface world, others that they travel
the planes. Meanwhile, more Kilseks
died each day, felled by Underdark ter¬
rors, enemy blades, and starvation.
Venrit was certain that Lolth had plans
for the House of Kilsek, but no divina¬
tion made those plans clear.

Venrit was on the verge of despair
when an old ally found the Kilseks
camped by an underground sea. Its
name was Ohlcaig, and it was an illithid
priest of llsensine. It had
been an ally of the
House of Kilsek
during the
civil war,
and it still
thought the
proud

The City of Kalan-C’eld

Violence scarred Kalan-G’eld. The illithid
attack that enslaved the gith population of the
city leveled buildings and blasted holes in the
streets. Subsequent fires burned whole
neighborhoods, and the charring is evident
despite the years that have passed. Other
creatures laired there over the centuries, the
latest of which had to be driven out by Kilsek
fighters before the ruins could be settled.

Kalan Geld sits in an enormous under¬
ground cavern. The ruined gith city was far
too large for the drow to occupy fully, so
they have revitalized only a part of it. The
obvious choice was the low hill that domi¬
nated the cavern, and it is this area the drow
have settled and fortified. They rebuilt a gith
citadel, and this provides the final bulwark of
drow defense. Beneath the citadel is Venrit’s
private realm, a surreal dungeonscape filled
with webs and monsters to eliminate the
uninvited and the unwary. Some speculate
that Venrit’s realm is not in the Underdark at
all, but on the Abyss.

There are two main entrances to Kalan
G’eld. The first is a large tunnel that connects
to an ancient gith cavern network. The drow
have built a barbican there, known as the
Adamantine Gate, which is heavily defended
with troops and traps. There are several bar¬
racks nearby, where the front-line warbands
are based. From here they sortie out to fight
the Godwar. The Kilsek military also maintains
a series of outposts and smaller fortifications
in the tunnel network around the city. They
provide early warning of attack and can slow
down incursions with ambushes and traps.

An underground river runs by the citadel
hill and then plunges down into the rocks.
Boats can navigate out to the serpentine
branches beyond. The merchant clans use the
river to conduct trade with the kuo-toans and
other denizens of the Underdark. The drow
have installed a massive portcullis that can be
dropped into the river in times of danger.

Two towers, one on either side of the river,
provide additional defense. Allied kuo-toans
are also used to patrol the nearby waters.

The troglodyte tribes were settled in a
nearby cave complex. Despite the strategic
advantages of having the troglodytes in the
city proper, the drow kept them out. The
stink of the creatures was simply too vile to
consider letting them live in Kalan G’eld. The
trolls are housed in this same cave complex.

WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

drow could be useful to the mind flay¬
ers and their machinations. Ohlcaig
told Venrit about an abandoned under¬
ground city on the other side of
Oerth. It had been a city of the gith,
the progenitors of the githyanki and
githzerai, but it had been abandoned
since the fall of the lllithid empire. It
was far from the Vault and completely
unknown to the surface world. Venrit
thought it was perfect.

Ohlcaig arranged for the planar
transport of the House of Kilsek. They
traveled through several planes until
they reached a portal that led to the
lands underneath the Sundered Empire.
Once back on Oerth, it was but a short
journey to the ancient city of which

BLOODSISTER
Class Requirements

To qualify to become a bloodsister, a charac¬
ter must fulfill all the following criteria:

Race: Drow.

Sex: Female.

Alignment: Any evil.

Base Attack Bonus: +6 or better.

Feats: Ambidexterity, Exotic Weapon
Proficiency (hand crossbow), Two-Weapon
Fighting.

BLOODSISTER
Class Skills

The bloodsister’s class skills (and the key
abilities for each) are:

Str: Climb, Jump.

Dex: Balance, Use Rope.

Con: -
Int: -

Wis: Innuendo, Listen, Spot.

Cha: Intimidate.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Ohlcaig had spoken. It was largely in
ruins, but the drow could see the
potential. Venrit and her people spent
several years fortifying the old gith
city, scouting the region, and recruiting
local troops. They learned the gith
empire had been known as Zarum and
the city as Anithor. The drow chris¬
tened the city Kalan-G’eld, a name
meaning “the forgotten spider.”

New Challenges

Within a matter of months, drow scouts
located a large kuo-toan community.
Venrit sent envoys, including merchant
clan members fluent in the kuo-toan
tongue. The kuo-toas had never seen a
drow before and reacted fearfully,
especially when the ebon-skinned
strangers spoke to them in their own
language. Only one envoy returned, and
he was riddled with harpoon wounds.

The Kilsek reaction was swift. Several
outlying kuo-toan communities were
annihilated, and drow assassins killed a
half dozen important whips. The speed
and brutality of the drow attack cowed
the kuo-toas, and soon enough, Venrit
had kuo-toan troops serving in her
warbands. The kuo-toan communities
also gave the drow merchant clans
places to trade.

At that time, the House of Kilsek had
no plans for the surface world.

Venrit’s goal was to build up her
strength until she could march back
and take the Vault of the Drow. No
use, she thought, in getting entangled
in the affairs of the sunlit world. After
all, that sort of madness had led to the
civil war that resulted in Kilsek’s exile
in the first place.

BLOODSISTER ADVANCEMENT

Base Attack

Fort.

Ref.

Will

Levels

Bonus

Save

Special

1ST

Combat reload

2nd

Poison use

3rd

Two-weapon style

4th

Tunnel fighting

5th

Improved-two-weapon style

6th

Throw sword

7th

Sneak attack +id6

8th

Mind of steel

9th

Twist the knife

ioth

+10

Sneak attack +2d6

As it turned out, the choice was not
to be Venrit’s. When the God of War,
Stratis, was slain by a group of mortal
heroes, droplets of his blood burned
through the earth and exposed the
heretofore unknown tunnels and gal¬
leries of Zarum. This opened the way
to warbands from the Sundered
Empire, who quickly descended into
the depths to search for the weapons
and armor of the slain god. This con¬
flict became known as the Godwar,
and it has brought savage warfare to
the Sundered Empire region for the
last five years. Six factions struggle
for supremacy with godhood itself as
the prize.

At first Venrit was content to remain
in the shadows, watching the factions
tear each other apart. Drow forces
were not idle, but when they struck,
they always made it look like someone
else’s work. Venrit’s hope was that the
war would end quickly, but like many
others she was disappointed. It eventu¬
ally became clear to her that the war
would drag on for decades. Unless, of
course, she herself were to end it. And
surely her chances of conquering the
Vault of the Drow would increase ten¬
fold if she returned as a god. This, she
decided, must be why the Spider Queen
sent the House of Kilsek to this remote
part of Oerth. The Kilsek need to be
here to win godhood for Venrit and
ensure victory over their traitorous
kin. Venrit did not start the Godwar,
but she intends to finish it.

Kilsek Prestige Classes

Two Kilsek prestige classes are pre¬
sented here for the first time.

Although these classes are built to
reflect the unique circumstances of
the House of Kilsek, they could be
used easily in most campaigns.

Bloodsister

In the Vault of the Drow there is a
society of female fighters. While each
noble house maintained its own soror¬
ity, the society as a whole is an instru¬
ment of the clerical hierarchy. When
House Kilsek chose exile over annihi¬
lation, the Kilsek sorority remained
loyal to their house. Like the rest of

9o august 2oo2

their kin, they marched out of the
Vault of the Drow with heads
held high.

Since then the society restructured
itself to meet the needs of its new sit¬
uation. They have become Venrit’s
elite warriors, fanatical servants of
House Kilsek and the Spider Queen.
Each has sworn a blood oath to Venrit,
a fact reflected in the society’s new
name: the Bloodsisters.

Class Features

All of the following are class features
of the bloodsister prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A
Bloodsister is proficient with all simple
and martial weapons, and light and
medium armor.

Combat Reload (Ex): At ist level, a
bloodsister learns to use her hand
crossbow with amazing speed. She can
load a hand crossbow as a free action,
which allows her to take the full attack
action with the hand crossbow.
Furthermore, such is her deftness with
this maneuver that the loading
action does not provoke an attack
of opportunity.

Poison Use (Ex): By 2nd level,
a bloodsister masters the use of
poison with her weapons. She
never runs the risk of accidentally
poisoning herself when applying
poison to a weapon.

Two-Weapon Style (Ex): The
favored melee weapons of the blood-
sisters are the short sword and dag¬
ger. While so armed and two-weapon
fighting, a bloodsister of 3rd level or
higher gains a +1 competence bonus to
all her melee attacks.

Tunnel Fighting (Ex): Bloodsisters
are trained to fight underground in
confined spaces. They know how to
close with enemies quickly and get
their blades up close and personal.
When charging an opponent, a blood¬
sister of 4th level or higher does not
provoke attacks of opportunity from
that creature by moving through the
squares it threatens.

Improved Two-Weapon Style (Ex):
Starting at 7th level, a bloodsister
fighting with both a short sword and
dagger receives a +1 competence

bonus to all her melee damage.

Throw Sword (Ex): When in desper¬
ate straights, bloodsisters throw their
swords like daggers. A bloodsister of
6th level or higher can throw short
swords without penalty, with a range
increment of 10 feet.

Sneak Attack (Ex): Bloodsisters see
no reason to fight fair. They gang up
on opponents whenever possible and
often fight in teams. At 7th level, a
bloodsister gains the ability to sneak
attack foes. Any time the bloodsisters
target would be denied his Dexterity
bonus to AC (whether he actually has
a Dexterity bonus or not), the blood-
sister’s attack deals +id6 points of
damage. The extra damage increases
to +2d6 at 10th level. Should the
bloodsister score a critical hit with
a sneak attack, her extra damage is
not multiplied.

It takes precision and penetration to
hit a vital spot, so ranged attacks can
only count as sneak attacks if the tar¬
get is 30 feet away
or less.

With a sap or an
unarmed strike, the
bloodsister ca

make a sneak attack that deals subdual
damage instead of normal damage. She
cannot use a weapon that deals normal
damage to deal subdual damage in a
sneak attack, not even with the usual -4
penalty, because she must make optimal
use of her weapon in order to execute
the sneak attack.

A bloodsister can only sneak attack
living creatures with discernible
anatomies-undead, constructs, oozes,
plants, and incorporeal creatures lack
vital areas to attack. Additionally, any
creature immune to critical hits is simi¬
larly immune to sneak attacks. Also, the
bloodsister must be able to see the tar¬
get well enough to pick out a vital spot

For Your Campaign

This article uses the Sundered Realm, a por¬
tion of the Greyhawk world and the setting of
the Chainmail game, as its basis, but there’s
no reason why it couldn’t be used as a
resource for other settings or a campaign
world of your design, even if you don’t use
drow. Here are a few examples of what you
could do to make the material in this article
suited to your style of play:

• DMs running campaigns in the Greyhawk
setting should have an easy time incorporat¬
ing House Kilsek into their game. Perhaps the
house never suffered exile from the leg¬
endary Vault of the Drow and now assists
other dark elves in the Lost Lands by offering
secret support to the giant armies infesting
the Duchy of Geoff.

• If you use the Forgotten Realms setting,
consider using some of the history and the
prestige classes presented here as a version
of what occurred to Drizzt Do’Urden’s house.
Perhaps some member escaped and founded
a city beneath the war-torn lands of Tethyr.

• The history and prestige classes pre¬
sented here could be adapted for dwarves.
Perhaps a clan of belligerent dwarves was
driven from its holdings after a council of
elders determined that the clan should be
held responsible for starting a civil war.
Driven to desperation in the wilds of the
Underdark, the clan took a ruined gith city as
its own and allied itself with kuo-toa.

For suggestions on how you can use the
prestige classes presented in this article, see
the For Your Character sidebar.

WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

and must be able to reach a vital spot.
The bloodsister cannot sneak attack
while striking at a creature with
concealment or by striking the limbs
of a creature whose vitals are
beyond reach.

If a bloodsister gets a sneak attack
bonus from another source (such

NIGHTSHADE
Class Requirements

To qualify to become a nightshade, a charac¬
ter must fulfill all the following criteria:

Race: Drow.

Alignment: Any evil.

Move Silently: 7 ranks.

Feats: Point Blank Shot.

Special: Must be able to cast arcane
spells.

Every nightshade must survive the
Spider Queen’s challenge. Four monstrous
spiders bite the candidate’s limbs as other
nightshades hold him down. If the venom
doesn’t kill him, he can join the nightshades.

NIGHTSHADE
Class Skills

The nightshade’s class skills (and the key
abilities for each) are:

Str: -

Dex: Disable Device, Escape Artist,

Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Pick
Pockets, Tumble.

Con: -

Int: Decipher Script (exclusive skill),
Read Lips (exclusive skill), Search.

Wis: Innuendo, Listen, Sense Motive,
Spot.

Cha: Bluff, Disguise, Gather Information,
Intimidate, Use Magical Device (exclusive
skill).

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modi¬
fier.

as rogue levels), the bonuses to dam¬
age stack.

Mind of Steel (Ex): Priestesses of
Lolth instruct the best of the bloodsis-
ters in mental techniques useful in
warding off hostile magic. Starting at
8th level, a bloodsister gains a +4
resistance bonus against mind-affect¬
ing spells.

Twist the Knife (Ex): A bloodsister
learns to inflict maximum pain and
damage with her weapons. The critical
multipliers of the short sword and dag¬
ger are increased to X3 when wielded
by a bloodsister of gth or higher level.

Nightshade

Once Venrit decided to enter the
Godwar, she knew she would need
intelligence about her new foes. Getting
information about the dwarves and
gnolls was easy enough, but the fac¬
tions that made their homes above¬
ground posed a few difficulties. What
Venrit needed was a group of skilled
infiltrators who could operate in the

NIGHTSHADE ADVANCEMENT

Base Attack

Fort.

Ref.

Levels

Bonus

Save

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5rh

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

bright sunlight of the surface world.
Each must be a master of disguise and
stealth, and a friend of the shadows.

It was the sorceress lldred who gave
Venrit the instrument she craved, lldred
perfected the lost art of “arachthel,” a
path of stealth that relied on powers
granted from the venom of spiders.

The only problem: The spider venom
killed as often as not. Venrit was
willing to pay the price, and so the
Nightshades were born. This secretive
group spies on the surface nations,
gathering information, spreading panic
and fear, and bringing the silent blade
to Kilsek’s foes.

Class Features

All of the following are class features
of the nightshade prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Nightshades are proficient with all
simple weapons, as well as the sap,
rapier, and short bow. Nightshades are
proficient with light armor but not
with shields.

Save Special

+0 Light adjusted, web walker

+0 Wall runner

+1 Sneak attack +id6

+1 Change self 3/ day

+1 Poison immunity

+2 Sneak attack +2d6

+2 Poison spittle

+2 Web 3/ day

+3 Sneak attack +3d6

+3 Shadow walk i/day

Minatures painted by

DROW WARRIOR

KUO-TOA

DROW WIZARD

DISPLACER BEAST

92 august 2oo2

For Your Character

The prestige classes presented in this arti¬
cle need not be for drow alone or even for
evil characters. If one of them interests
you, check with your DM and see if it can
be altered and incorporated into her game
and your character. In general, keeping the
mechanics the same but changing the name
or description gives you a great deal of
flexibility. Here are a few suggestions:

The bloodsister prestige class could be a
guild for a group of rangers and wilderness
protectors who specialize in removing
threats to natural areas. They use special
sleep poisons to knock out most foes, but
repeat offenders have little hope of escap¬
ing the bite of their two blades.

The nightshades could be a prestige class
for an order of monks who hold the qualities
of a spider in high esteem. They practice the
“spider’s shadow style” of marital arts, and
its masters take levels of the nightshade
prestige class.

Both of the prestige classes could repre¬
sent special groups from another race.
Dwarves might call such groups the hammer
matrons and the cavern raiders, gnomes
might call them knife maidens and web run¬
ners, and other races could create similar
names.

Light Adjusted (Ex): Nightshades are
specially trained to operate above
ground, and this includes a brutal reg¬
imen to forcibly adjust their eyes to
bright light. A nightshade does not
suffer from light blindness as other
drow do.

Web Walker (Ex): A nightshade can
move through webs (both natural
and those of the web spell) without
hindrance.

Wall Runner (Su): Nightshades learn
to harness the spider blood in their
veins as time goes by. Starting at 2nd
level, a nightshade can walk on walls
and ceilings as if wearing slippers of
spider climbing. At 5th level, a night¬
shade’s speed when wall running
increases to 30 ft.

Sneak Attack (Ex): At 3rd level, a
nightshade gains a +id6 sneak attack.
Any time the nightshade’s target would
be denied her Dexterity bonus to AC
(whether she actually has a Dexterity
bonus or not), the nightshade’s attack
deals +id6 points of damage. The extra
damage increases to +2d6 at 6th level
and +3d6 at gth level. Should the
nightshade score a critical hit with
a sneak attack, his extra damage is
not multiplied.

It takes precision and penetration to
hit a vital spot, so ranged attacks can
only count as sneak attacks if the tar¬
get is 30 feet away or less.

With a sap or an unarmed strike, the
nightshade can make a sneak attack
that deals subdual damage instead of
normal damage. He cannot use a
weapon that deals normal damage to
deal subdual damage in a sneak attack,
not even with the usual -4 penalty,
because he must make optimal use of
his weapon in order to execute the
sneak attack.

A nightshade can only sneak attack
living creatures with discernible

DRIDER TROOPER DROW WARRIOR DROW SOLDIER

anatomies-undead, constructs, oozes,
plants, and incorporeal creatures lack
vital areas to attack. Additionally, any
creature immune to critical hits is sim¬
ilarly immune to sneak attacks. Also,
the nightshade must be able to see the
target well enough to pick out a vital
spot and must be able to reach a vital
spot. The nightshade cannot sneak
attack while striking at a creature
with concealment or by striking the
limbs of a creature whose vitals are
beyond reach.

If a nightshade gets a sneak attack
bonus from another source (such
as rogue levels), the bonuses to
damage stack.

Change Self (Sp): At 4th level, a
nightshade can cast the change self
spell three times per day, with a
caster level equal to his character
level.

Poison immunity (Ex): At 5th level, a
nightshade becomes immune to poison
of all types.

Poison Spittle (Ex): At 7th level, a
nightshade can secrete poison-like
saliva (injury, DC 14; id4 Strength ini¬
tial and secondary damage). A night¬
shade can coat a bladed weapon with
this poison spittle as a move-equiva¬
lent action.

Web (Sp): At 8th level, a nightshade
can cast the web spell three times per
day at a caster level equal to his char¬
acter level.

Shadow Walk (Sp): At 10th level, a
nightshade can cast the shadow walk
spell once per day at a caster level
equal to his character level. ®

DROW RANGER

DROW ARCHER

WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

Preparing to Improvise

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see also:

www.roleplayingtips.com

Improvisation is one of the Holy
Grails of DMing. When things click,
amazing, heroic adventures seem to
come create themselves, and the glow¬
ing feeling you get after the game ses¬
sion is unbeatable. Improvisation is also
many DMs’ greatest fear, ranking
somewhere between death, taxes, and
public speaking.

If your palms get sweaty at the
thought of running a game completely
on the fly, then read on. As you will
learn, the trick is in a little pre-game
preparation-that’s right, you can (and
should) prepare to improvise!

First off, a word of encouragement.
You can improvise; you’ve got the skills
right now, in fact. Even if you use pub¬
lished adventures, you already make
hundreds of decisions and conjure up a
plethora of new details during every
game session. It’s the nature of the
DM’s job, and if that job is yours, then
congratulations, you have what it takes
to improvise.

Another point to ponder: Every
Dungeon Master has strengths and
weaknesses. Some are natural story¬
tellers but get bamboozled by the vol¬
ume of numbers during an intense
combat. Others are so organized that
they can tell you the population and
class break-down of every village in
the land with a single keystroke, but
they stumble when it comes to vivid
descriptions and plotting. Most of us
are somewhere in between, so I

encourage you to take a moment and
make a list of your weaknesses,
because that little bit of self awareness
might be all you need to make sure an
improvised session runs smoothly.

Organization £ Sessions

While a very small number of DMs can
show up without books, dice, or notes
and then provide an evening of great
entertainment, most of us can’t do that,
so cheat a bit and prepare to improvise
by devising a few tools for in-game
use. See the sidebar for a list of
resource possibilities.

You also need to prepare for note¬
taking during sessions. A major pitfall
of improvisation is campaign consis¬
tency. You don’t want NPC names to
change mid-game, past game events to
be mis-remembered, or good ideas to
slip away. Prepare to keep campaign
notes, or have a detail-oriented player
do it for you.

Weaving Stories £ Adventures

Running without a pre-planned story¬
line helps make your adventures adapt¬
able to the group’s mood, the changing
needs of the characters, and unex¬
pected choices from the players. It
gives everyone more freedom, and it
can make your sessions more enjoyable.
It might also be a DM’s greatest worry:
How do you tell an exciting story that
doesn’t play like a bunch of disjointed
wandering monster encounters?

Although you won’t be using a pre¬
planned plot, there are some fast
preparation tricks to help you run
smooth, well-connected adventures.

Outline a few major campaign events
and villains. Your game world shouldn’t

be static, nor should it revolve solely
around the PCs. This is difficult to do
while making things up as you go,
because it’s often a struggle just react¬
ing to the PCs’ actions and keeping one
step ahead. Having a short list of the
significant current events and villains
who are stirring things up in your
world helps you keep the big picture in
mind and allows you to add the details
that bring campaigns to life.

More importantly, this list can inspire
you to tie events together as you go,
potentially turning a series of improvi¬
sations into a cohesive story. If you
know the basic causes of the world’s
conflicts, you can provide a series of

Improvisation Tools

1. Charts and tables from the core rulebooks

2. Custom charts and tables.

3. Articles and ideas grabbed from Dragon
and Dungeon magazines

4. Print-outs from the Internet

5. Bits and pieces from your old modules

6. Copies of the players’ character sheets

7. Computer software

8. Services at websites

9. Television, movies, and fiction

10. Binder, computer, notebook, or box to
organize your notes and game materials

A quick tip about the last point: It’s almost
impossible to run sessions using index
cards, stickies, a laptop, photocopies, and
notebooks all at the same time. Try to stick
to just one organization method: laptop,
binder, notebook, or index cards.
Regardless of your choice, the point is to
get to your improvisation tools quickly and
seamlessly during play.

94 august 2oo2

improvised adventures that lead to
this fundamental conflict, providing
long-term goals for the players, conti¬
nuity for the campaign, and seeds for
specific improvised sessions through
one technique.

Make an encounter ideas list.
Encourage the characters to have
desires and goals, and use these for
encounter, story, and quest ideas.

Study your players, and learn what
they enjoy most about roleplaying.
Reflect on the past, and think about the
encounters that the group enjoyed the
most. Take a look at the Encounter
Ideas Record Sheet at the end of this
article. The five-column worksheet pro¬
vides an easy way to generate
encounter ideas that have personal
connections to one or more of the
players. Take two minutes and brain¬
storm a few ideas before a session gets
started, and add to the sheet as an
adventure proceeds. At the end of a
session, jot down any ideas that came
out of that session. Be sure to cross
out the hooks you use and refresh the
sheet with new ideas every so often.

Ponder the possibilities. If you had
your entire campaign world and all of
its dungeons memorized, improvising
would be a snap. In lieu of that, as
you’re watching commercials or stand¬
ing in line, think about the campaign
possibilities of your next session.

Picture the places the PCs could go, the
people they could meet, and the enter¬
taining things that could happen. You’ll
be amazed at how often you dip into
this idea pool once you’re at the table,
and how helpful it is to have developed
such a pool in the first place.

Create filler encounters. Prepare
some simple encounters that can be
dropped in anywhere, at any time, in
case you get stuck. A wandering mon¬
ster table might work, but you might
feel more confident having a couple of
fleshed-out dungeon, wilderness, and
village/city encounters on hand for
emergencies.

Another trick for great improvised
encounters is to flip through the back
of your Monster Manual where crea¬
tures are indexed by CR, or open the
Dungeon Master's Guide to the

encounter tables in Chapter 4:
Adventures. Pick a few creatures in the
appropriate CR range, and read up on
them so that you can weave them into
your game as needed. Dungeon
Magazine's new “Critical Threats” fea¬
ture makes another great resource
because it provides pre-planned
encounters, allowing you to focus on
improvising description and continuity
between encounters.

Keep a number of short adventures
on hand. Short adventures are quick to
prepare, and they can give a session a
quick pick-up should it start to stall.

(See the last two issues for more
advice on avoiding stalls.) There are a
number of mini-modules available on
the market, and there are many web¬
sites and magazines, including
www.wizards.com and Dungeon
Magazine , that feature short adven¬
tures and encounters.

Read or write fiction, and watch
great movies and shows. Reading and
writing are excellent ways to create a
pool of neat ideas to draw from while
DMing. Watching a good movie or TV
show the night before a session can
also inspire your stories.

Create a list of plot hooks and story
ideas. Create a sheet with one-line plot
ideas to stoke your creativity during a
session. If the characters aren’t taking
the lead, or if you can’t think of what
to do next, pick a plot hook and run
with it. This is also a great tool for side-
plot generation.

NPCs

NPCs are the bread and butter of many
campaigns, yet they are often difficult
to create on the fly. You can fall into a
rut where all your NPCs seem similar
to one another or you forget important
details like names and personalities.
Statistics are also critical when combat
erupts or opposed skill checks are
required. Fortunately, there are several
pre-game preparation options available
to help you improvise NPCs.

Create name lists. Use campaign
source books, name books, online ran¬
dom name generators, and dictionaries
to build a cheat sheet with male, female,
town, and racial names.

Five Improv Organization Tips

1. Number the pages in your binder and cre¬
ate a table of contents for your cheat sheets
and charts.

2. Buy a cheap cardboard or plastic magazine
file; keep your best resource books together
in there for easy access when planning or
DMing.

3. Bookmark useful websites and organize
them under a single folder called D&tD Tools
with subfolders for NPCs and such.

4. Sprinkle labeled stickies and bookmarks lib¬
erally through your reference books.

5. Spend time becoming familiar with any
software you plan on using before the game.

Create personality lists. On your
name cheat sheet, also come up with a
bunch of one-line NPC personalities
that you can instantly apply to a new
NPC during the game. Look no further
than your Dungeon Master's Guide for
this. The One Hundred Traits chart in
Chapter 5: Campaigns is the perfect
tool. You can also draw inspiration from
books, movies, and online sources for
quirks, behaviors, and mannerisms.

Grab pre-fabricated NPCs. Feel free

Maps > Maps, Maps

10 Types of Maps to Keep Handy:

1. Wilderness

2. Caverns

3. Dungeons

4. Villages

5. Cities

6. Ruins

7. Interiors of common buildings (taverns, inns,
temples, and so on)

8. Castles and Forts

9. Large Vehicles (large ships, blimps, and so
on)

10. Unusual Environments (cloud castles,
underwater terrain, and so on)

5 Sources Of Maps:

1. Dungeon Magazine

2. Old modules

3. Dragon Magazine

4. Old campaign maps

5. www.wizards.com (Check out the Map-A-
Week feature and the Dungeon Magazine site.)

WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

to use pre-made NPCs during the game
to save you rime and supply those
much-needed statistics. Your job before
the game is to check your sources and
get things ready for handy access at
the table.

Generate, print out, photocopy, or
transcribe NPCs from any source you
can find. Here’s a list to get you started:

• Modules and supplements

• The Dungeon Master's Guide , pages
48-58

• www.wizards.com

• The Character Generator disk from
the Players Handbook

• Jamis Buck’s Generators at
http:/ / www.enworld.org/ generators/

• Dragon Magazine

• Dungeon Magazine

• PC Gen Software at
http:/ / pcgen.sourceforge.net/

• Old campaign notes

• Other DMs via email and websites

Maps

Nothing beats a map for inspiring and
guiding improvised sessions. It’s much
easier to create interesting encounters

with a pre-made map than it is to
work from a blank sheet of paper.
Maps also create basic campaign logs
and help play consistency.

Go to your sources and bookmark or
copy a bunch of maps for use during
the game. Discard labels and other
names, or employ the whole thing as-is.

Treasure

Arbitrary rewards and those created
with a few dice rolls before the players’
eyes can suck the mystery and wonder
right out of your campaign. This is espe¬
cially true after important battles or for
hoards found in special places. The solu¬
tion is to prepare a treasure cheat sheet.
Think up a few things for each category,
number them, and give players these
numbers as they discover the goodies to
help with tracking. The fact that you are
carefully tracking treasure only makes
such treasure feel more special to the
PCs. Be sure to refresh the sheet as the
characters gain levels as well.

Although it might seem strange, you
can prepare to improvise by shoring up

Treasure

Items to include on a treasure cheat sheet:

1. Gems and jewelry

2. Things found in pockets

3. Works of art and items of superior crafts¬
manship

4. Disposable magic items such as potions
and scrolls

5. Permanent and powerful magic items

It’s a good idea to mention a few words about
the condition, container, appearance, or orna¬
mentation of each item. Pre-planned details like
these can pay off while improvising.

any of your weaknesses, such as think¬
ing up names or fleshing out NPCs on
the spot. Before the game, create a few
cheat sheets, hints charts, and idea lists
to help when you’re stuck. Being organ¬
ized and knowing what your players and
characters want goes a long way too!
This preparation requires only a small
amount of time (15 minutes or so), and it
pays real dividends in verisimilitude,
continuity, and speed of play. ^

Encounter Ideas Worksheet

PLAYER NAME_ CHARACTER NAME PLAYER HOOKS PC GOALS ENCOUNTER IDEAS

96 august 2oo2

WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

Trouble at the Table

by Robin D. Laws

DM: So, you wanted to mention
something about how the game's
been going? . . .

Oh, but wait. First, / wanted to tell
you all that / left my notes from last
session on the bus, and / didn't like how
easily you got out of the Tunnel of the
Minotaur, so everything that happened
last session is a dream sequence, and
you need to give all your experience
points back. Now, there was a point
you wanted to make?

Last rime, we began a series showing
players how to use real-world negotiat¬
ing techniques to rescue campaigns
from impending doom. We showed you
how to handle problems with the DM or
other players by following these steps:

1. Identify the problem.

2. Identify the problem’s causes.

3. Figure out, and learn to respect,
the other person’s point of view.

4. Solve the other problem person’s
another way.

5. Present the problem, with a pos
sible solution.

6. Be prepared to compromise.

This month, we’re going to focus on
step one.

Because the people who make up
every play group are different, no two
problems are exactly alike-but if
things are going wrong and you can’t
quite say why, check the following list
of common dilemmas to see if they
ring any bells.

Expectation Caps

We all have different tastes as to what
makes the best game session. This is
by far the most common problem

bedeviling roleplaying groups. You can
sum it up as “I’d like slightly less X in
the game and slightly more Y.”

Your DM might be tailoring the
game to her own tastes. She might not
have thought to balance its content to
the tastes of her players, might not be
interested in doing so, or might want
to without knowing quite how.

Maybe the DM is already pitching
her sessions to the general tastes of
her group; it’s just that your tastes are
out of sync with everyone else’s.

Favoritism

Some DMs, especially in beginning
groups, tend to favor a player with
whom they already have a close
friendship. Often this is unconscious.
This can be a tough problem to deal
with. If you’re not careful, you can
offend the DM and the beneficiary of
her favoritism. You never want to
seem like you’re questioning or attack¬
ing their friendship. Make clear that all
you want to do is adjust the effect
that it’s having on the game.

Your DM might have good inten¬
tions in favoring a player. She might
be giving a reluctant participant an
easier time of it, hoping he’ll get
hooked on gaming and later become an
equal member of the group. Be sensi¬
tive to this. However, if it goes on
forever, you have a right to object.
Again, tread very carefully. Be sym¬
pathetic, not confrontational.

When the DM is romantically
involved with a player, things can get
especially tricky. Depending on how
well you know the people involved and
how sensitive they are to criticism,
you might want to wait to see if the

problem solves itself before wading in.
You don’t want to lose a friendship
over a D&tD campaign. Then again,
the couple might prove to be the very
souls of reason once you’ve brought
the matter to their attention. It’s a
judgment call, and a difficult one at
that.

PCs In NPCs’ Clothing

DMs can also show favoritism toward
their own NPCs. Beware if the DM
adds a member to your party, espe¬
cially if he’s one of the DM’s own past
PCs or strongly resembles one. Your
DM is trying to have her cake and eat
it, too, being both player and game
referee. This problem often requires
use of the diplomacy skills we’ll be
presenting in future installments.

Specialty Trampling

The D&tD rules are carefully designed
to protect the specialties of the vari¬
ous character classes. If you’ve
devoted several levels worth of skill
ranks and feat slots to becoming the
group’s strongest hitter or sneakiest
rogue, you don’t want another PC,
with other specialties of his own, to
come along and outshine you in your
chosen area. Unbalanced feats, spells,
prestige classes, or magic items, often
of the DM’s creation, can wreak havoc
on the balance of power within a
party. Unlike other problems men¬
tioned here, there isn’t much of a per¬
sonal component to this one. The DM
probably hasn’t considered the prob¬
lem from your point of view. Ask her
to either change the nature of the
other PC’s ability or item so that it
doesn’t infringe on your territory, or

98 august 2oo2

request a compensating boon to boost
your abilities so you’re once again best
at what you chose to do.

Spotlight Hogging

If you assemble a small group of peo¬
ple for any reason and set them to
talking, some inevitably take a greater
part in the discussion than others. A
person can attract an unequal share of
attention through wit, innate charisma,
mastery of the subject matter, or
through simple nonstop talking.

Dominating personalities get more
than their share of attention at the
gaming table, too. If a player is grab¬
bing more than his share of the DM’s
attention, no matter what the means,
you’re absolutely within your rights to
try to take some of that territory
back. Your DM might be unaware of
the problem or the extent to which it’s
bothering you. In this case, pointing
out the problem is only half the battle.
You and your DM will have to keep
reminding the hog to cool it. Few
overbearing individuals, whether
charming or obnoxious, are able to
turn it on and off like a light switch.
Their habits are just as ingrained as
the shy person who instinctively heads
for the corner in unfamiliar situations.
Once alerted, your DM might be will¬
ing to interrupt him or call on others
as necessary. In some cases, you
might need to step out of character to
politely but firmly remind the player
that he’s getting out of hand. Most
dominating personalities-the ones you
want to hang out with, anyway-are
ruefully aware of their bad habits, and
sheepishly back off when you call
them on it.

Wrapping Up

Whether your problem is common, and
listed above, or unique unto your
group, you can always gain by under¬
standing your DM’s style and how it
affects the choices she makes-which
we’ll talk about next month.

You: Hmm, where do I begin? ®

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WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

Battle Realms

The Dragon controlled the mighti¬
est empire in the world, but then,
in a single season, they slipped
from empire ... to clan ... to noth¬
ing at all. The Horde, an unknowable,
unbeatable tide of death, swept over
the Dragon, laying waste to their
finest warriors in a single battle and
sending the rest of the clan into
retreat for six long months.

Finally, when they reached
the sea and could run no
more, the master of the clan
summoned the spirit of the
Dragon itself. Winds shrieked,
seas raged, fields rent, and the
world was broken. The master of the
Dragon clan disappeared into the ele¬
mental fury, and the Horde with him.
The people were saved.

Although the people survived,
the clan could not. The Dragons

by Clifford Horowitz

greatest warriors were dead, its ruling
line consumed, and its few remaining
heroes were left divided and fighting
against each other. The Dragon died that
day, replaced with the Serpent, a wan
and corrupt shadow of the Dragons for¬
mer greatness.

Such times cry out for heroes and
dreamers, and such a cry is answered
by Kenji, last of the Dragon clan nobility,
and your character in Battle Realms, a
roleplaying, real-time strategy game that
sets the task of restoring the greatness
of the Dragon upon your shoulders. As
Kenji, you must wander the foreign lands
that have become home to the Serpent,
reunite with the heroes who served
your father, and fight against the ene¬
mies of your dying clan. For the hope
you bring them, peasants will flock to
your banner, harvest rice, gather water,
capture wild horses, and build up their
towns. Yet the task before you is too
great even for the mighty heroes of the
Dragon to shoulder alone. You must
revive the ancient fighting styles of the
Dragon masters and set your peasants
to learning them. With this army at your
back, you might yet be able to stand
against the twisted sorcerers of the
Lotus clan, their feral escaped slaves,
the Wolf clan, and perhaps even the
Horde itself.

What distinguishes Battle Realms from
other real-time strategy games is what
its designers have dubbed “liquid
resources.” The things you produce and
harvest can be used in a multitude of
ways. Water is used to nourish troops in
training, vital in construction, and the
only thing that puts out the flames of a
burning building. The horses you capture
and domesticate can be given to soldiers
to make cavalry, or they can be put in

lo2 august 2oo2

the fields with the peasants to increase
efficiency. The uses for resources far
outstrip their availability, forcing you to
make tactical decisions for their alloca¬
tion at every turn.

The setting presented in Battle Realms
could be the basis of an entire cam¬
paign, and many of its elements could
find places in your games. Some of the
most interesting of these elements are
the gems of the Dragon empire: its
enlightened fighters. These prestige
classes are suitable for any campaign
with a little work, but obviously, they
are right at home in an Oriental
Adventures campaign.

Kabuki Warrior

For the Dragon, combat and war are
forms of art, not cold disciplines.
Warriors of the Dragon clan view com¬
bat as an outlet for passion and an
opportunity for expression. None
embody this philosophy better than the
kabuki warriors. These soldiers are equal
parts fighter and entertainer. In times of
peace they use their talents to amuse
those around them with feats of acro¬
batics, sleight of hand, illusions, and sto¬
ries. These skills are not wasted when
conflict arises. Dressed in garish cos¬
tumes with wild hair and even wilder
face paint, kabuki warriors take the field
of battle with a smile on their faces and
a quip on their tongues, often juggling
items in one hand as they leap and slash
at their opponents.

The kabuki warrior melds martial skill
and theatrics into a dazzling, confusing
display that tricks opponents into making
mistakes-errors the kabuki warrior is
quick to exploit with vicious brutality.
Many fear the humiliation that they could
suffer in fighting these warriors more
than they fear the injuries they risk.

The eclectic requirements of the
kabuki warrior code and fighting style
requires a broad knowledge of combat,
magic, and acrobatics. Most kabuki
warriors are bards or multiclassed
bard/fighters. Some multiclassed sor¬
cerer/rogues join the order, and
monk/illusionists are fairly common.
Single-classed kabuki warriors are
rare and usually come from the
wizard class.

Class Features

All of the following are features of the
kabuki warrior prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The
kabuki warrior is proficient in all martial
weapons, but no armor or shields.

Canny Defense (Ex): When wearing
no armor or shield, the kabuki warrior
adds his Intelligence bonus to his Armor
Class. Should the kabuki warrior lose
his Dexterity bonus, he loses this bonus
as well.

Clowning (Ex): As a master of per¬
forming arts, the kabuki warrior gains a
+2 competence bonus to his Bluff,
Perform, and Tumble checks.

Sneak Attack: At 2nd level, a kabuki
warrior gains the ability to sneak attack
foes (see the Rogue section in Chapter
3 of the Players Handbook ). He gains
+id6 damage at 2nd level, and an addi¬
tional id6 every three levels there¬
after. If a kabuki warrior gets a sneak
attack bonus from another source
(such as rogue levels), the bonuses to
damage stack.

Taunt (Su): With a combination of cut¬
ting jibes and frustrating defense, the
kabuki warrior can enrage his oppo¬
nents, driving them to become wild and
sloppy. Once per day at 3rd level, the
kabuki warrior can make a Bluff check
opposed by a melee opponents Sense
Motive roll. If the kabuki warrior suc¬
ceeds, the opponent falls victim to her
own temper and suffers a -2 morale
penalty to all attack rolls and AC for a
number of rounds equal to the kabuki
warriors Charisma bonus +1. Characters
with the ability to rage (such as barbar¬
ians) who are four levels higher than the
kabuki warrior are immune to this ability.
At 6th level, the kabuki warrior can

For Your Campaign

The prestige classes from Battle Realms fit
well into an Oriental Adventures campaign,
and with a little modification, they can be a
part of any campaign world.

• The dragon warriors could be just that:
warriors who devote themselves to the
service of red dragons. These warriors gain
powers as the mystic bond with the dragon
they serve grows stronger.

• The kabuki warrior could be a prestige
class for a kind of warrior-jester. Perhaps a
secret organization of “fools” provides
guardians and advisors to the royalty of a
nation in your campaign.

• The dragon warrior and kabuki warrior
could be two opposing mystic orders: one
devoted to the wild expression of feelings;
the other devoted to controlling emotion.

KABUKI WARRIOR
Class Requirements

To qualify to become a kabuki warrior, a
character must fulfill all the following criteria:
Base Attack Bonus: +5 or better.

Bluff: 5 ranks.

Perform: 5 ranks.

Tumble: 3 ranks.

Feats: Dodge, Expertise, Mobility,

Spring Attack.

Special: The ability to cast three Illusion
spells.

KABUKI WARRIOR
Class Skills

The kabuki warrior’s class skills (and the key
abilities for each) are:

Str: Jump.

Dex: Balance, Escape Artist, Tumble.
Con: Concentration.

Int: Alchemy, Craft (any).

Wis: Sense Motive.

Cha: Bluff, Perform.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

KABUKI WARRIOR ADVANCEMENT

Base Attack

Fort.

Ref.

Will

Levels

Bonus

Save

Special

1st

Canny defense, clowning

2nd

Sneak attack +id6

3rd

Taunt i/day

4th

Stardust 1/ day

5fh

Sneak attack +2d6, expert clowning

6th

Taunt 2/day

7th

Stardust 2/day

8th

Sneak attack +3d6

9th

Taunt 3/day

10th

Stardust 3/day, master clowning

WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

taunt twice per day. At gth level, he can
taunt three times per day.

Stardust (Sp): The kabuki warrior can
summon shimmering streams of sparkles
that dance about him as he twirls and
spins. This dazzling display is bright and
confusing, blurring the kabuki warriors
form and making it difficult to ascertain
his exact position.

This effect lasts for a number of
rounds equal to the kabuki warriors
Charisma bonus +1. During this time, he
gains a circumstance bonus to his
Armor Class equal to his Charisma
bonus +1. At 7th level the kabuki warrior
can perform this ability twice per day,
and at 10th level he can perform it three
times per day.

Creatures who cannot see the
lights are not distracted by them.

Expert Clowning (Ex): At 5th level,
the kabuki warriors mastery of
performance and understanding of
the human reaction has reached the
point where he gains a +4 competence

bonus to Bluff, Tumble, and Perform
checks.

Additionally, he can use the Bluff skill
in combat to feint and apply the result to
all opponents within 10 feet. Roll once
and apply that single result to all appli¬
cable targets.

Master Clowning (Ex): By 10th level,
the kabuki warrior is a master of show¬
manship. He can use the Bluff skill to
feint in combat as a move-equivalent
action, applying the result to all crea¬
tures within 10 feet.

Dragon Warrior

The rank and file of the Dragon clans
troops are taken from peasantry, the
ancient tradition of warriors coming only
from noble stock dead along with the
empire. However, masters of the train¬
ing halls still watch for students with the
unmistakable passion that can only mean
they’ve touched the spirit of the Dragon
and taken it into their hearts. These
exceptional individuals are separated

from the others and put through a
unique training regimen that relies heav¬
ily on meditation and self-mastery.

Those who emerge take the field as
dragon warriors.

Strange combinations of berserker
fury and monk mysticism, dragon war¬
riors are a people apart. They carry
within them the seething power of the
dragon, and its stormy urges make them
somewhat capricious. Yet to contain and
truly harness this power requires
immense discipline, which reins in their
more outlandish urges. While they might
seem calm at a distance, with muted
body language and soft speech, up close
their voices betray hints of strain, and
their small movements tremble to
become more. They appear locked in an
eternal, invisible struggle, and indeed,
they are. The only time they let go com¬
pletely is in battle, where they release
the Dragon in all its fury, roaring like a
storm as their giant swords cut through
the opposition in a torrent of steel.

Monks and barbarians who have for¬
saken their former lives often take up
the dragon warrior path for its familiar¬
ity. Fighters, rangers, and martially
minded clerics are also common.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of
the dragon warrior prestige class.

Weapons and Armor: Dragon war¬
riors gain no new proficiency with
weapons, armors, or shields. Wearing
armor inhibits the dragon warrior’s con¬
nection with the spirit of the Dragon,
and a dragon warrior who dons armor
loses access to all her dragon warrior
class abilities. All such abilities return to
the dragon warrior as soon as the
armor is removed.

Body of Soul (Su): The dragon war¬
rior’s first step in harnessing the power
of the Dragon is to quell it completely.
Until they come to grips with the roiling
rages that now reside in their hearts,
those first touched by the Dragon must
either quell the spirit or be consumed
by it. However, in burying the essence
of the Dragon within themselves, the
fledgling dragon warriors learn an inner
strength so intense that it radiates out¬
ward. As a result, dragon warriors add

lo4 august 2oo2

their Wisdom bonus to their hit points at
each dragon warrior level. Wisdom
damage or drain, depletes these extra
hit points.

Chi Shield (Su): The intense meditation
continues, as does the growth of the
dragon warriors power. By this point,
the energy of the Dragon has soaked the
dragon warrior through with mystical
power, imbuing her with supernatural
toughness. At 2nd level, the dragon war¬
rior gains a deflection bonus to Armor
Class equal to her Wisdom modifier.

At 5th level, the resilience of the war¬
rior increases, and she gains damage
reduction 1/-.

At 8th level, the essence of the
Dragon has so thoroughly permeated the
warrior that her mind and body share
the same infallible staying power. The
dragon warriors damage reduction
increases to 2/-, and she develops spell
resistance equal to 10 + her Wisdom
modifier.

Dragon’s Fire (Su): At 3rd level, the
dragon warrior learns the first outward
means of expressing the Dragons rage.
Using her sword as a focus for the
power, the warrior learns to make the
giant blade more than a metaphorical
representation of the Dragons fiery
breath. As a free action, the dragon
warrior can, once per day, imbue a
greatsword she wields with the flaming
magic weapon enhancement (see the
Dungeon Masters Guide). As long as the
weapon is held in her hands, the
enhancement lasts for a number of
rounds equal to the dragon warriors
level plus her Wisdom modifier. At 6th
level, the dragon warrior can use
dragons fire twice per day, and at 9th
level, the warrior can use the ability
three times per day.

Dragon’s Fury (Ex): A 4th-level
dragon warrior finally learns the rudi¬
ments of letting the Dragon flow through
herself. By allowing a bit of the Dragon’s
essence out of her tightly controlled
heart, the dragon warrior can throw
herself into a mystically induced rage.
This rage lasts a number of rounds equal
to the dragon warrior’s Wisdom bonus,
but in all other respects it is identical to
a barbarian’s rage ability. While so
enraged, the dragon warrior loses her

chi shield, as the spiritual energy is
shunted from protection to offense. The
dragon warrior can use dragon’s fury
twice per day. If the dragon warrior has
rage from some other source, its
bonuses do not stack with those pro¬
vided by the dragon’s fury ability.

Dragon’s Grip (Ex): At 7th level, the
dragon warrior learns to wrap herself in
the power of the Dragon. No longer sim¬
ply inspired by it, she can now totally
immerse herself in it. When she uses the
dragon’s fury ability, she now gains a +6
to her Strength and Constitution and a
+3 to all Will saves. This increases the
bonus hit points to 3 per character level.
In addition, the dragon warrior can use
the dragon’s fury ability 3 times per day
and no longer loses her chi shield abili¬
ties while raging.

Dragon’s Release (Ex): At the pinnacle
of her development, the dragon warrior
becomes an avatar of the great Dragon
spirit. She no longer channels its power
when enraged, but she becomes more
like a direct gateway for the primal force
to act upon the world.

When the warrior uses the dragon’s
fury ability, she gains a +8 to both
Strength and Constitution and a +4 to
Will saves. This increases the bonus hit
points to 4 per character level. In addi¬
tion, she can use the dragon’s fury abil¬
ity 4 times per day.

While her dragon’s fury lasts, her
sword bursts into supernatural flames,
granting the weapon the flaming magic
weapon enhancement, as per the
dragon’s fire ability. If the dragon war¬
rior chooses to use her dragon’s fire
ability while so enraged, her weapon is
treated as though it also has the flaming
burst magic weapon enhancement. QJ

For Your Character

If the prestige classes from Battle Realms
sound like fun to you, ask your DM if she’ll
include them in her campaign and allow you to
take one or both. Here are some ideas for how
your character might use them:

• Your character has always been a screw up.
Called clumsy and a clown throughout life,
your PC has decided to take those weaknesses
and make them into strengths by becoming a
kabuki warrior.

• Your character comes from a family cursed
with terrible tempers that cause them to lash
out and wound those they love. Many relatives
have given in to the rage and taken up the bar¬
barian life, but your PC has tried to control it.
Your character is always on the verge of dis¬
astrous anger, but that struggle has given the
PC the powers of the dragon warrior.

DRAGON WARRIOR
Class Requirements

To qualify to become a dragon warrior, a
character must fulfill all the following criteria:

Alignment: Any nonchaotic, nonlawful.
Dragon warriors who become lawful or
chaotic, lose all dragon warrior class abili¬
ties.

Base Attack Bonus: +6 or better.
Concentration: 3 ranks.

Knowledge (Religion): 3 ranks.

Feats: Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon
Focus (greatsword).

DRAGON WARRIOR
Class Skills

The dragon warrior’s class skills (and the
key abilities for each) are:

Str: Climb, Jump, Swim.

Dex: Ride.

Con: Concentration.

Inf: Knowledge (religion).

Wis: -

Cha: Intimidate.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

DRAGON WARRIOR ADVANCEMENT — „■ ■ „ —

Base Attack

Fort.

Ref.

Will

Levels

Bonus

Save

Special

1st

Body of soul

2nd

Chi shield (deflection bonus)

3rd

Dragon’s fire i/day

4th

Dragon’s fury 2/day

5fh

Chi shield (damage reduction 1/-)

6th

Dragon’s fire 2/day

7th

Dragon’s grip (dragon’s fury 3/day)

8th

Chi shield (damage reduction 2/-, spell resistance)

9th

Dragon’s fire 3/day

10 th

+10

Dragon’s release (dragon’s fury 4/day)

lo6 august 2oo2

WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

by Skip Williams

Email your questions to:

thesagea>wizards.com

Join the Sage this month as he contin¬
ues last month’s look at Masters of the
Wild and moves on to consider a few
magical mysteries.

The sidebar on page 31 in Masters of
the Wild talks about the Craft (herbal¬
ism) skill. Is this a new skill, separate
from Profession (herbalist)?

It’s not exactly new, but it is not the
Profession (herbalist) skill. You use the
Craft (herbalism) skill to make your own
herbal infusions.

My 6th-level ranger wants to advance
her 2-Hit-Die wolf. Does she have
access to the rules for improving ani¬
mal companions in Chapter 4 of
Masters of the Wild? Or are those only
for druids.

The material in Chapter 4 applies
equally to rangers’ animal companions.

If the abilities you gain from gaining a
new level let you meet the prerequi¬
sites for a feat, can you take that feat
right away (provided that you also
have an unused feat)? For example, the
Blindsight feat from Masters of the
Wild requires the ability to become a
dire bat, which the druid gains at 12th
level. Can I take Blindsight with the feat
I gain at 12th level, or must I wait until I
get my next feat at 15th level?

Yes. When you add a new level, you
choose what class level to add before
you choose your feat (if a feat is avail¬
able), see Level Advancement, pages
145-146 in the Players Handbook. Note
that because you must choose your

class level before choosing skills or
feats, you often cannot enter a prestige
class the very moment you meet the
prerequisites. For example, if you took
the Spring Attack feat at 9th level, the
soonest you could take a level in a
prestige class that has Spring Attack as
a prerequisite would be 10th level.

When you use the rage class ability,
you become fatigued for as long as
you raged. When you use the frenzied
berserker’s frenzy class ability (from
Masters of the Wild), you become
fatigued for the rest of the encounter,
or until you enter a frenzy again,
whichever comes first. In either case,
both rage and frenzy make you
fatigued. Page 84 of the Dungeon
Master's Guide says you become
exhausted if you are already fatigued
and you become fatigued again. The
penalties for exhaustion are pretty
steep: You move at 1/2 speed and
have a -6 to both Strength and
Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete
rest you are moved up from
exhausted to fatigued. After 8 hours
of complete rest you are no longer
fatigued. So, after a rage/frenzy
combo a frenzied berserker is darn
near useless for 9 hours. Better save
that for the last battle of the day.
What, exactly, is the point of being
able to rage multiple times per day if
it wipes you out for so long?

A barbarian is only fatigued for the
rest of the encounter after raging (a
barbarian can rage again while fatigued,
but the fatigue penalties stack with the
rage bonuses). A frenzied berserker is
fatigued for the rest of the encounter
after a frenzy, or until entering a new

frenzy. In either case, it does not take 8
hours to recover from the fatigue a
rage or frenzy causes. Both abilities
have specific rules that override the
general rule from the Dungeon Master's
Guide, which is written to cover envi¬
ronmental effects, running, and other
cases of prolonged stress on the body
not rage and frenzy.

When a barbarian is fatigued for the
rest of the encounter after raging, how
long is that exactly?

In this case, an “encounter” contin¬
ues until the DM stops tracking the
encounter in combat rounds. That usu¬
ally happens when the last foe is
defeated or escapes or until the last
PC is defeated or forced to escape. A
creature has escaped from an
encounter when its foes decide not
to pursue it or until they have no
reasonable chance of catching the
fleeing creature.

When the awaken spell makes an animal
a magical beast, do the animal’s Hit
Dice get any bigger? Does the animal
gain any extra skill points, feats, or
attack bonuses?

An awakened animal gains no new
hit points, bigger Hit Dice, new feats,
better saves, or extra skill points,
except as noted in the awaken spell
description. The subject does get the
benefit of its extra Hit Dice. If the
subject is an animal, it gains +2d8, and
it’s new base attack is 3/4 of its new
total Hit Dice. Its saves improve
according to its new Hit Dice total (an
animal has good Fortitude and Reflex
saves). In addition, an awakened ani¬
mal’s type determines how magic

I08 august 2oo2

WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

affects it, just as a familiar or paladin’s
mount does.

The class skill list for the tamer of
beasts includes Handle Animal and
Animal Empathy, both of which are
much more difficult to use on magical
beasts than on animals. When a tamer
of beasts’s animal companions get
smarter and become magical beasts
(also a tamer of beasts class feature),
these two skills become harder for the
character to use. Furthermore, the
tamer’s empathic link power becomes
impossible to use on the companions,
since it works like the speak with ani¬
mals spell and thus does not work on
the companions anymore. On top of
that, magical beasts befriended via the
gth-level magical beast power count as
double their Hit Dice for the tamer’s
quota for companions, so don’t all the
smarter companions count double?

Why do the more intelligent animal
companions become magical beasts?

For the same reason that an awak¬
ened animal becomes a magical beast.
Animals have Intelligence scores of i or
2, ergo, no creature with an Intelligence
score of 3 or higher can be an animal.

While it is true that a tamer of
beasts’s smarter animal companions
become more difficult to influence
through Handle Animal and Animal
Empathy, the tamer of beasts will no
longer need these skills to interact with
those companions. Thanks to the com¬
panions’ increased Intelligence scores,
they understand and respond to the
character as readily as most characters
do. In fact, because they have
Intelligence scores above 3, they actu¬
ally understand at least one language,
usually Common (see page 10 in the
Monster Manual).

The tamer of beasts’s empathic link
power works for any of the character’s
companions, even when those compan¬
ions are no longer animals. The power’s
parameters are otherwise like a speak
with animals spell cast by a character
of the tamer of beasts’s class level.

Only magical beast’s tamed through
the gth-level magical beast mastery
power counts double Hit Dice against
the tamer of beasts’s limit on

companions; a creature that becomes a
magical beast as the result of becoming
a companion to a tamer of beasts does
not count double.

The forsaker from Masters of the Wild
has a damage reduction ability that is
based on the destruction of magic
items within a 24 hour period. Can you
store up magic destruction? Say for
instance that my character has damage
reduction 7/+ 3 (so he must destroy
700 gp worth of magic each day to
activate the damage reduction). If the
character has in his possession a magi¬
cal item worth 1,400 gp, is he now
good for two days when destroying
that item?

No, 24 hours is the limit, no matter
how much magic you destroy.

What’s going on with the bloodhound’s
pacekeeping power (from Masters of
the Wild)? Is this supposed to be for
shadowing or tracking? For shadowing,
it makes sense. For tracking, it doesn’t.
If I’m an elf, why can’t I go faster than
the halfling I’m tracking? Pacekeeping
implies that my speed, which is nor¬
mally 30, would be limited to 20 while
tracking a halfling.

Pacekeeping allows you to increase
your speed. If you’re already faster
than your mark, you don’t have to use
the power. Pacekeeping is for tracking,
but if you have a mark in sight and
want to tail the mark (see Song and
Silence for rules on tailing someone), a
bloodhound can use pacekeeping to
keep up, too.

The requirements for the snakelord
prestige class in Masters of the Wild
include the Resist Poison feat, yet the
Snakelord gains this as his first totem.
Is this an error? Or perhaps there
is no error and the bonuses stack
to a +8 bonus on Fortitude saves
against poison once the Snakelord
reaches 2nd level and obtains his
first totem?

The Resist Poison prerequisite for the
snakelord is correct. The correct first
totem power is Clever Wrestling (even
if you don’t have the Improved
Unarmed Strike feat).

When an exotic weapons master (from
Masters of the Wild) uses her impro¬
vised weapon abilities, what size are
weapons created by the character? It
doesn’t say anywhere.

It depends on the size of the object
used to make the improvised weapon.

In general, an improvised weapon is big
enough for the character to use in one
or two hands. Note that the character
gets 1 1/2 times her Strength bonus to
damage when wielding the improvised
weapon in two hands. The damage val¬
ues given in the class description are
for weapons made by Medium-sized
characters, improvised weapons made
by larger or smaller creatures deal
damage as listed in the chart below. At
5th level, an exotic weapon master
gains the greater improvised weapon
ability, and the damage he deals with
improvised weapons increases. The
increased damage is also listed below.

Improvised

Greater

Character

Weapon

Size

Damage*

Damage

Fine

id2

Diminutive

id2

id4

Tiny

id3

id6

Small

id4

id8

Medium-size

id6

2d 6

Large

id8

2d8

Huge

2d 6

4d6

Gargantuan

2d8

4d8

Colossal

4d6

8d6

* If the exotic weapon master
makes a smaller weapon, use the
damage rating for a smaller creature.
Larger improvised weapons deal no
extra damage.

All characters in the D&tD game get to
raise an ability score by +1 every four
levels (at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th
level according to the Player's
Handbook). Does this stack with the
forsaker’s +1 ability score bonus at
every level of its 10-level progression?
Exactly how big is the forsaker’s ability
bonus? Does the forsaker get +1 to add
once at each forsaker level? Or does
the forsaker get +1 to add at first level,
+2 to add at second level, on up to a
whopping +10 at 10th level? If it’s the

llo august 2oo2

WIZARDS’ WORKSHOP

former, do these bonuses stack with
each other?

A forsaker character can improve
one ability score for every 4 character
levels, just as any other character can.
This is not an ability score bonus, the
ability just gets bigger (as such, this
increase stacks with anything). The
forasker’s ability bonus is a +1 inherent
bonus that the character adds once at
each forsaker level. That is +1 at first
level, +1 again at 2nd level, and so on.

Inherent bonuses, like all other
bonuses in the game, do not stack with
each other. In the case of the forsaker,
however, the ability bonus class feature
allows the forsaker to add either a +1
inherent bonus to an ability score that
does not have an inherent bonus
already, or to make an existing inherent
bonus one point bigger (note that if the
character gained an inherent bonus to
an ability score from a spell or magic
item before becoming a forsaker, that
bonus is lost upon becoming a for¬
saker). No ability score can have an
inherent bonus larger than +5, even
when the inherent bonus came from
the forsaker class ability.

The barbarian gets damage reduction
starting at 11th level and then every
three levels after that. Does this stack
with the damage reduction class fea¬
ture of the forsaker?

Two or more kinds of damage reduc¬
tion do not stack. However, a creature
with multiple damage reduction qualities
gets the benefit of the best one for any
given attack against it. For example, an
nth-level barbarian/gth-level forsaker
has damage reduction of 1/- and 9/ +4.

If struck by a weapon with a +3 magi¬
cal bonus or less, the character gets 9
points of damage reduction. If struck
by a weapon with a +4 magical bonus
or more, the character still gets 1 point
of damage reduction.

Does a character have to be able to
cast a spell to meet the shifter’s alter¬
nate form requirement?

You can meet the requirement with
any spell from the list on page 69 of
Masters of the Wild. You also meet the
requirement if you have a spell-like

ability or supernatural ability that mim¬
ics one of the spells on that list.

Does the Shadow feat from Masters of
the Wild apply for all Hide and Spot
checks, or does it apply only when fol¬
lowing someone?

The feat applies to any Hide or
Spot check.

Is a spellcaster who is protected by a
spell turning effect safe from the
counterspell action? What effect does
the turned portion of a counterspell
have on the character who cast the
counterspell?

A spellcaster protected by a spell
turning effect is not entirely safe from
counterspells. By definition, a counter¬
spell is targeted on the caster, so a
spell turning effect can turn the coun¬
terspell. If the whole counterspell is
turned, the counterspell fails. If the
counterspell is only partially turned,
there’s a chance equal to the unturned
portion of the spell that the counter¬
spell works. For example, if you turn 2
levels of a 6th-level counterspell,
there’s a 4-in-6 chance the counter¬
spell works anyway.

The turned portion of a counterspell
has no effect on the caster of the
counterspell. A counterspell is altered
slightly to create the counterspell
effect, and it cannot produce anything
but a counterspell effect.

The Reactive Counterspell feat from
Magic of Faer un lets you use the
counterspell action without a readied
action. Does that mean I have to use
the delay action instead? If my char¬
acter takes no action in the round, can
he take a counterspell action prior to
his original initiative score? What
happens to my initiative score if I use
a counterspell before it’s my turn?

Can I use a Reactive Counterspell
when I’m flat-footed?

If you have the Reactive Counterspell
feat, you can use a counterspell almost
anytime. You cannot use Reactive
Counterspell when flat-footed. You can
use the feat before your turn in the ini¬
tiative order (when you have not yet
acted for the turn) or after your turn

(when you have already acted during
the turn). In either case, you lose your
next action.

The spells minor globe of invulnerability
and globe of invulnerability create a
spherical emanation with a 10-foot
radius. Does this assume an effect that
fills in the whole of the sphere, like a
standard spell area, or is it a hollow
sphere that prevents spell effects from
crossing into it? Is a spellcaster within
the globe affected by her own spells?

The effect fills the entire globe. No
spell has any effect inside the globe,
even spells a character casts on her¬
self. Unlike an antimagic field, the globe
does not block line of effect. A charac¬
ter can cast spells from inside the globe
to the outside, or from outside the
globe, through the globe, to another
place outside the globe-but never
inside the globe. Note that the globe
only suppresses spells. If you’re in the
globe and you cast a spell on yourself,
the spell’s duration starts running, but
there is no effect. If you later leave the
globe, the spell takes effect.

What happens when a sorcerer finds
an arcane scroll bearing a spell with a
caster level lower than the sorcerer
would have to be to cast the spell?

For example, a sorcerer must be 6th-
level to cast a fireball spell. What hap¬
pens if a sorcerer finds a fireball
scroll that a wizard has scribed at 5th
level? Can a sorcerer of 6th-level or
higher use the scroll?

Yes, the scroll is an arcane scroll
(because a wizard made it) and fireball
is on the sorcerer class list. The sor¬
cerer must be at least 5th level to use
the scroll without a chance for failure.
The scroll’s caster level determines if
there is a chance for failure and the
level check DC if there is one; where
the spell falls on the scroll user’s class
spell list is irrelevant.

Is it possible for wizards to cast cura¬
tive spells? For example, cure moder¬
ate wounds or cure light wounds? It
seems that they can under the right
circumstances. Suppose Willie, a
halfling bard in my party, has the

112 august 2oo2

Scribe Scroll feat. The Player's
Handbook says wizards, sorcerers, and
bards all cast arcane magic. That
means the cure spells a bard casts are
arcane and not divine regardless of
what the spell is, right? That also
means that if Willie scribes a scroll with
cure light wounds on it, the scroll will
still be an arcane scroll. If that’s cor¬
rect, it means that if my wizard gets
the cure light wounds scroll from
Willie, he can scribe it into his spell
book and then prepare it as an arcane
spell that he can use time and time
again, right?

You can’t read a spell off a scroll
unless the spell is on your class list (see
page 203 in the Dungeon Masters
Guide). You also cannot scribe a spell
into your book unless its on your class
list. Only another bard can use Willie’s
cure light wounds scrolls (because
bards are the only arcane casters who
have cure spells on their class lists).

Remember that spell trigger items,
such as wands, do not come in arcane
or divine versions. If a bard makes a
wand of cure light wounds, any charac¬
ter who has cure light wounds on his
spell list can use the wand.

Some time ago, “Sage Advice” said
that multiclass sorcerer/wizards can¬
not scribe their sorcerer spells into
their wizard spell books. What hap¬
pens if a sorcerer/wizard writes one

of her sorcerer spells on a scroll. Can
she then write the spell into her spell-
book? If so, does the wizard/sorcerer
have to go through the extra associ¬
ated costs and XP expenditure of
making an intermediary scroll, which
is subsequently destroyed if success¬
fully written to the spellbook?

A wizard can scribe any spell she
finds on a scroll into her spellbook, but
doing so uses up the scroll. If a sor¬
cerer/wizard makes a scroll of a spell
from her sorcerer spell repertoire, she
has to pay all the normal cash and
experience costs for doing so. Once
the scroll is made, however, the char¬
acter can use the scroll to write the
spell into her spellbook, just as she
could with any other scroll. The charac¬
ter also must pay the normal costs for
writing the spell into the spellbook.

Can undead, which lack metabolisms,
use potions, which require ingestion? I
believe undead can use magic oils,
which are applied externally.

Potions require swallowing, not
ingestion. Any corporeal creature can
use a potion (see page 191 in the
Dungeon Master's Guide), provided it
can swallow. Anything with an intact
throat can swallow. Some DMs say
skeletal creatures cannot swallow, oth¬
ers say they can. Check with your DM.

Any corporeal creature can use
an oil. ^

POWER PLAY

Ride On

A ist-level halfling fighter with a 16 Strength, 20 Dexterity, and 4 ranks in
Ride has a minimum Ride check of 10 (+4 ranks, +5 Dexterity), which allows
him to always fight when mounted (see the Ride skill, page 72 in the Players
Handbook). With the Mounted Combat and Ride-By Attack feats, the little
warrior could charge back and forth across the battlefield without risking
retaliatory blows, have double his normal movement (the riding dog has a
base speed of 40 feet), and attack at a +7 bonus (+1 base, +1 size, +3
Strength, +2 charge). If he uses a light lance as his primary weapon, then he
would do double damage as well (2d6+6). At 4th level, with the addition of
Spirited Charge, Weapon Focus (light lance), and Weapon Specialization (light
lance), the attack bonus rises to +11 (+4 base, +1 size, +3 Strength, +1 Weapon
Focus, +2 charge), for damage of 3d6+i5 (id6 lance, +3 Strength, +2
Specialization, tripled due to Spirited Charge).

Issue 298 • August 2002
Vol. XXVII • Number 3

Product Page

Alderac Entertainment

Swashbuckling Adventures ... 15

Atlas Games

Occult Lore . 67

Crystal Caste

Dwarven Stones Dice . 115

Custom Direct

Styles Checks . 17

Dancing Dragon

Dragon Gifts and Collectibles . 99

Dork Storm Press

Nod wick / Dork Tower . 65

Dwarven Forge

Master Maze . 97

Games Workshop

Two Towers . 13

Green Ronin

The Book of the Righteous ... 111
Hit Pointe

Used Out-of-Print D&fD ... 99

Interplay

Icewind Dale II . 11

Infrogrames

Neverwinter Nights . 2, 3

John Mumford

Exiled! (novel) . 41

Kenzer &t Co.

Kingdoms of Kalamar Atlas ... 116

Mongoose Publishing

Judge Dredd RPG . 51

Slaine . 49

Noble Knight Games
Out-of-print RPGs . 99

Palladium Books

After the Bomb . 43

Riffs . 59

Reaper Miniatures

Miniatures . 22, 23

Steve Jackson Games

d20 Weekly . 69

White Wolf

Everquest Role Playing Game . 8, 9

Wizards of the Coast

D&tD RPG Line . 4, 5

D&tD Novels . 18, 19

Dissolution . 21

Dragons of a Vanished Moon . 33
Star Wars Revised Rulebook . 31

113

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